Willingly Forgotten
by Reiuko
Summary: She was a lost soul, forgotten in time and left to wander due to her own decisions. He was the unlucky soul reaper to find her. Fate’s a funny thing, but with them, does it truly matter?
1. Soul Reaper and the Soul

**Author note:** yep, another story, well, can't really say it's a 'story'…but a thing of connected one-shots that follow each other like a story…okay…I guess you can call it a story…

And since it's a thing of connected one-shots, please don't expect long chapters…these are going to be short. Like a few thousand words each, not the usual 10k— worded chaptered ones I usually do. Lol. I wanted to try something new, as well as a new category…

Yes! This is not a Naru/Inu! You probably already know that…I'm just saying it because I'm starting to branch out…and hopefully correctly. Lol. (Happy dance)

**Notes:**  
-Takes place around after chapter 200-213 in manga and during season 6 of the anime...  
-the story is AU.

**Disclaimer**: this is fan-fiction, and as much as I would like to say I own something, I don't. So yeah, I own nothing. Nothing!

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**Willingly Forgotten**  
**Encounter 1: Soul Reaper and the Soul**

* * *

"Speaking/thinking inside flashback"  
_Thinking/small flashback  
'Actions/__**actions**__'  
__**""hollow speaking"" **_

* * *

When they first met, it was anything but pleasant.

"_No, and I rightly don't care. I have something to do, and I'm not leaving until I can do it."_

* * *

As he sat up on the rood of Orihime Inoue's apartment building, Toushirou scanned his phone, thinking over everything that happened in the last few days with some feeling of exhaustion.

There was he and his team's mission to the real world, the meeting with substitute soul reaper, Kurosaki Ichigo in order to inform him of what's going on, his and his lieutenant's finding of a temporary residence, and lastly the attack of the arrancar that happened.

Ah, then there was Kurosaki's sudden disappearance right after that as well…

To put it simply, things as of late have been busy—and their current standing of having small, close to nothing of information on Aizen, the Arrancar he's gathering up, or what the bastard's goal is, has not helped the situation. At all.

Almost angrily, the small captain quickly shut his phone seeing no new reports or news from soul society and placed the small contraption on the ledge next to him, giving up for the night and deciding to finally get some rest. He had just laid down on the ground with his arms under his head and closed his eyes when something in the air suddenly pulsed.

His eyes shot open, instinctively recognizing the feeling that was shimmering through the air and he pushed himself up with his arms, using them as a support to look where the feeling originated.

A hollow.

Immediately his phone, still on the ledge besides him, began beeping and hollow momentarily forgotten, he looked towards it. after a second of thought on whether or not to look—because someone else may just get to it, he may have to do nothing at all—grabbed the silver cell and with ease, flicked open the top with his thumb, looking at the screen.

An angry red dot pulsing on the screen not too far from his position, met his eyes. Sighing, he sat up farther and scratched the side of his head with his other hand, looking up from the still beeping phone to sense if anyone was going for it…

…and no one was…not even Matsumoto…and she was the closest one to the hollow—besides him anyway, since she was in the building under him actually. _She's probably purposely ignoring it._ His eyebrow twitched at the thought of his lazy lieutenant and he closed the beeping phone, standing up.

_Looks like I'm dealing with this one…_ he thought, frowning. _Probably expecting me to go after it. _And he can't hope for Kurosaki to go after it…Kuchiki either. Since after all, Ichigo has gone missing and Kuchiki's been looking for the idiot. _So it leaves me…_ he doesn't even want to guess where Madarame or Yumichika are, and where Renji is staying is too far away.

_Doesn't matter._ He continued a second later, placing the phone in his pocket and popping a thing of soul candy into his mouth.

The familiar feeling of weightlessness washed over him before he was separated from his gigai. After ordering the gigai to tell Matsumoto that he got this one—in case the woman actually thought about getting it (even though he has a feeling that's highly unlikely)—and jumped off the roof, using Shunpo to head towards the direction where the hollow was.

**. . .**

He made it in record time to see a huge green hollow, probably about 20 feet tall and as wide as a building roar up into the sky. It stood on two reptilian-like legs with dark green patches of fur on the tips and around the feet and shins, making it look like it was wearing fur-boots. The body wasn't much better. It had the shape of a male's body, but like its feet, dark green fur covered up its chest, overlapped to its back and was longer, like a cape. A long, serpent-like tail moved angrily around him and he had to move a few times to dodge from getting hit. The arms were human like, but appeared too long for its body since the hollow had to lean forward, making the knuckles of its hands touch the concrete. Three long spikes were placed on the side of each arm, and one large one on each shoulder, and its hollow hole was placed right in the center of its neck.

Lastly, its mask was shaped like a horse, but when it came to the end where its mouth was, the mask curved up into a large twin hook. The sides of the mask had more spikes—four thin ones on each side—that too curved up into hooks. Long, shaggy, dark green-hair covered the tops of its head and down to its shoulders, where two small yellow eyes showed through. There were thin green markings on its mask, looking like a collection of swirls that went from the tips of its mask's eyes and down all the way to the curved hook where long sharp teeth appeared with it's opening of its mouth for a second time.

The second large roar from the monster and it's sudden movement knocked Hitsugaya from his thoughts when he noticed the cause for said movement was, apparently the soul the hollow was after this whole time, and was now, trying to get its meal.

Preparing to keep the hollow from doing just that, Toushirou quickly drew his Zanpakutou and moved to attack. But before he could even get a few feet within the hollow to kill it, a pulse of unknown reiatsu made him pause. _What—?_

He was interrupted by a flash of blue light coming from in front of the hollow—which since he was behind the thing, was unable to see where the light came from.

Then with another flash, something long, blue and incredibly bright flew right past the left side of the hollow's head and soared into the sky, disappearing with a twinkle. He watched, half amazed, and half confused at what exactly it was. _The hell? _

From in front of him, the hollow suddenly laughed,** ""Ha-ha! Pathetic! You missed me!""** it quickly changed its stance and with one long hand, moved to grab something. **""Now, I will devour your soul and become much stronger! Let me thank you now for your streng—!""**

_Crap._ He moved to attack again and jumped into the air to strike, but like before Hitsugaya was interrupted by another blue flash that this time, hit the hollow and stabbed it all the way through right above the hollow hole placed in its neck.

"don't think yourself so strong." came a second voice, but due to the large hollow's sudden pained yell as it slowly started to disintegrate—he couldn't tell from their voice if it was female or male. "I just needed to warm up my powers so I could kill you in one blow. I never miss."

One last angered roar escaped the hollow before it completely vanished and Hitsugaya was left landing on the ground, staring at the space where the hollow just was. He blinked. It was like the hollow was never even there, there wasn't even a trace of the hollow's own spiritual energy…even if it's been killed, there should still be a remnant of its reiatsu for a couple of hours… _That's...Strange…_

The only thing that even showed the hollow was here was the obvious destruction of a few empty buildings. He was in an abandoned part of the city, where a few buildings were already destroyed and in need of repair. But besides the old destroyed buildings, and the news ones now needing to be fixed there was no remains left of the hollow.

Even when a soul reaper destroys a hollow there is still a sign it was there.

Surprised at the turn of events, the small captain furrowed his eyebrows, and looked around, trying to figure out what the hell just happened and what exactly that blue light was. It looked like an arrow—but he can't sense the Quincy around. Besides, it didn't even feel like a Quincy. It was different. It was almost like a soul reaper…but… _Who…just did that? _Not only doesn't it feel like a Quincy, but he knows for sure that he's the only one here…and he didn't sense anyone else around. _So who—?_

Before he could even attempt to figure out who killed the hollow, the answer came to him when the tip of a glowing blue arrow appeared in front of his face, and a cold voice spoke to him from behind the glowing energy. "Who are you?"

Toushirou froze at the unknown voice, surprised that he didn't even sense them. _Where did they come from? And how was it I didn't even sense their spiritual pressure?_ Toushirou gripped his sword tighter, looking up with his turquoise eyes to see the newcomer.

And saw the face of a young girl staring at him, hand drawn back and holding the arrow, but that wasn't the most surprising thing about her.

No, she was dead.

Her form was the same transparent like all the other souls; she even had the same chain of fate on her chest, cut, with the chain hanging down in front of her. She was a simple soul, yet…

His eyes went towards the arrow still in front of his face, glowing brightly and lightly warming up his face, making it tingle. _How can she summon her spiritual energy like that? _

Dead as she may be, she shouldn't be able to summon any energy, even if she has a high amount. Plusses aren't able to do such a thing, at least, he's never heard of anything like this surfacing—

"I said who are you?" came the voice of the girl again; knocking him out of his thoughts and making him look back towards her cold blue eyes. When he said nothing, she frowned and moved her weapon closer to his face as a warning.

Not wishing to cause a fight, he lowered his sword a bit and replied. "Toushirou Hitsugaya, captain of the 10th division."

The girl suddenly blinked, and the cold look on her face vanished to be replaced with surprise. "The 10th division?" she drew back her weapon from his face and took a few steps back to give him some space, eyes looking at him curiously.

Then with a tilt of her head, she scanned him with her eyes, taking in his appearance. When she noticed what he was wearing, or more specifically his captain haori she quickly turned embarrassed and bowed, the glowing arrow vanishing like a thing of smoke from her hands. "Ah, so sorry about attacking you then!"

She stood up and nervously grinned, hand rising to scratch the side of her head. "I didn't notice you were a soul reaper till I actually looked…" she turned her head to look behind her, where the hollow once stood. "Sorry, I've been chasing that hollow for a while…and when I finally was able to kill it, I guess I wasn't paying attention and mistook you for an enemy…"

Cobalt blue eyes met his turquoise with apology and she sighed. "I also haven't seen a soul reaper for a while... this is my first night in this town so I don't know whose who, or where you guys patrol…" she trailed off with a small nibble of her lips, eyes darkening. "especially from that sudden burst of spiritual energy a few days ago…I think that's what brought the damn monster here." she mumbled, the darkening her of eyes increasing and a serious look appearing on her face. But with a shake of her head, her cheery personality reappeared and she smiled, "but really, I am sorry."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she had already turned around and was starting to walk away, waving behind her. "Anyway, I need to head back, but it was nice meeting you—!"

"wait." he called out, taking a step forward towards the strange soul. When she stopped and turned her head to look at him confused with her bright blue eyes, he shook his head. "Where do you think you are going?"

He got a blank stare. "Um…back where I came from?" replied the soul, looking at him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No, do you really think I'm going to allow you to roam around?" he answered with annoyance. "There's hollows everywhere and you." he pointed at her with the tip of his sword. "Need to be sent to soul society."

That seemed to be the wrong thing to say, because immediately her eyes hardened, like she was preparing for another fight. "No I don't." she shook her head, and pointed to herself. "I am not going to soul society. Yet anyway." The last two words were lost on Hitsugaya though as she turned quickly and started walking back the way she came at faster pace. "See ya."

"_I am not going to soul society." _

The second wave she sent him was also lost on Toushirou as he stared, wide eyed at the soul that so casually shrugged him off. He's faced souls like this before, but this one is strange.

Not only does it seem she can summon her reiatsu to use it as a weapon and attack, but from the looks of things, this soul also already knows about soul society, Shinigami, and even hollows. Yet she doesn't wish to go?

Unwilling to let the soul stop him from doing his job, he quickly jumped and landed in front of her, making her stop as she came face to face with his slightly shorter frame. Hitsugaya grabbed his sword again and lifted it up, preparing to perform the soul burial and force her to go, whether or not she wants to. "You have no say in the matter, if you stay here, you will call more hollows."

Before he could place the hilt of Hyōrinmaru on her forehead, the girl quickly used her hand to knock away his, eyes narrowing. "I know." she took another step back so he couldn't try it again and sighed. "I've heard the whole thing before." she waved her hand off to the side, "'if you stay you'll cause trouble', 'soul society's a nice place' 'you're in danger if you remain here' and blah, blah, blah."

She quickly sidestepped another of his attempts and grabbed the hilt of his sword to stop him, glaring now. "Will you stop? I've already told you, _captain_," she spoke his title with mocking, "I'm not going to soul society. And nothing you do will make me."

He glared at the soul and quickly removed her hand from his own. "Do you think I'm asking you?" he can't believe what this girl is trying to say. Does she really believe she has any say in the matter of her staying here or not? He's been sending souls to soul society for a long time, and she will not be any different.

The girl snorted and took another step back. "No, and I rightly don't care. I have something to do, and I'm not leaving until I can do It." she glared back before quickly side stepping and walking passed him. "Like I said, nothing you say, do, or try will stop me. I've been waiting for a long time to do it and I'm so close." She sent him a look over her shoulder as she walked, a smirk rising onto her face when he turned his own head to look at her. "I'm not going to let some Chibi-Taichou stop me."

Eye twitching at the 'nickname' Toushirou quickly faced back forward and yelled, hand gripping Hyōrinmaru tighter. "I am not short, nor am I a 'Chibi-Taichou!'" he spat out the word with disgust.

Toushirou heard the soul stop walking before beginning to laugh, "sure, sure, whatever you say Chibi-Taichou."

He quickly whirled around to yell at the infuriating soul again but when he did, she was gone.

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**Reviews are loved, flames stared at, and advice appreciated! Until next chapter!**


	2. A Name

**Disclaimer**: this is fan-fiction, and as much as I would like to say I own something, I don't. So yeah, I own nothing. Nothing!

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**Encounter 2: A Name**

* * *

"Speaking/thinking inside flashback"  
_Thinking/small flashback_  
'Actions/**actions**'  
**""hollow speaking""**

* * *

Their second encounter was nothing better. If anything, it was worse than the first.

"_Will you just leave me alone?"_

* * *

Toushirou Hitsugaya, captain of the 10th division in soul society, claimed 'child' genius (despite the fact he was no such thing as a child and probably more mature than most of the said 'adults') was not amused.

He's never been one for amusement really, but still, this has to be something that fits under such a category for annoyance and use of such a sentence. Not only does he have to deal with an annoying, defiant soul that doesn't wish to listen to him, but it's the same exact _one._

Can his luck really be that bad?

When he realized from the look on the soul's face, that yes, it really can be that bad—he wanted to sigh, or leave, or do something other than having to manage some girl that _will. Not. Listen._

It's worse than Matsumoto when she's drunk.

"I already told you, I will not go." Spoke up the soul in front of him, face set in a frown, fists clenched as her arms were crossed over her chest and cut chain of fate, looking all the while like a clear embodiment of defiance.

_Why must I have to deal with this?_ He questioned himself, as he stared down the pair of bright blue—surprisingly so—eyes that despite the transparent gleam of them, always seemed to glow. Especially now, since the girl seems pretty ticked.

Funny, considering the only thing he did was land in front of her before she suddenly started glaring and rapidly speaking about her refusal to leave. _Should have sent Matsumoto or Renji to do this instead._

If he knew going after the hollow himself would make him run into the annoying girl for a second time within only two days, he would have just ignored it and have one of the others deal with it.

Sadly, he had no way to know that the soul was going to try and act like some kind of hollow-exterminator and go around killing them when they popped up. _At least now, I know what happened to the other hollows that suddenly vanished from the scanner as soon as they appeared... _

At first, he thought it was the others getting them, since no one else brought the strange activity up, and left it alone. The hollows were being killed and that was all that mattered. Now though he can see it wasn't them, but the soul in front of him.

The only good thing about this is he can finally finish dealing with the soul since her disappearance and send her soul society. Because whether annoying or not, she needs to leave the living world. The sooner, the better. Her chain of fate is close to vanishing and then, instead of killing hollows she'll be one herself.

And trouble. He doesn't want to deal with a troublesome hollow.

Sick of feeling her glare bore into his head, Toushirou turned his attention back to the soul and realized that throughout his thoughts, she was talking."…you cannot make me, and you have no authority over me, Shinigami or not. _Chibi-taichou_."

That did it. Annoyance spiked, the earlier weary Taichou gritted his teeth and felt an eyebrow twitch in anger.

He has no authority over her? He, who is a soul reaper, a Shinigami that protects beings such as her, help them pass on to soul society, can easily dispatch her if he wishes with a slash of his sword—has no authority? Over her?

This poor soul must have missed something, somewhere to believe such a thing. Despite the fact that it's surprising, she even knows of soul reapers, hollows, or that she seems to believe she is above him—when he's the one holding a sword, a weapon, and she, has nothing but herself.

Well, that's not completely true—she can summon her reiatsu at will, and probably could fight back—but it's beside the point. She believing herself higher than him, than _Shinigami_, is well…absurd.

She's just a soul. And will be till, when, _if,_ she becomes a Shinigami—and even then, unless she becomes a captain he _still_ with have authority over her.

By now during his inner musings, the soul turned around and started walking away, the arrow of energy in her hands vanishing as she dusted off her form, even though her clear body could get no dirt on it.

"Not even listening." She grumbled, tossing her arms up into the air and giving an exasperated sigh. "Don't even know why I tried. I'm just wasting my time, trying to explain to some brain dead Shinigami that doesn't know how to listen and leave me alone, that I'm not going—."

"I didn't come here to take you to soul society." Interjected Hitsugaya swiftly, glaring at her for her 'brain dead Shinigami' comment and her assumption that his sole reason of being here was to waste his time.

As if shot in the back, the girl faltered while taking a step and stumbled till she was able to catch herself in a mess of waving arms and legs. He would have thought it amusing if he was in a better mood. But he wasn't.

Arms out at her side, one leg on the ground and the other in the air behind her, the girl slowly turned her head to look back at him, eyes staring in shock. "You're…not?" he shook his head and she blinked again.

"oh." she said simply. The soul straightened and cleared her throat. "Ah…well…never mind." With as much dignity as she could, the plus quickly nodded to him, turned around, and continued walking away. Inwardly she sighed. _At least I don't have to worry now and can focus only on trying to get back home—_

A hand wrapped around her wrist and Kagome stopped, shivering at how cold the hand was. Though she was just a soul, she could still feel the cold like she was alive again.

She turned her head to look at the slightly shorter Shinigami and saw him glaring at her with his surprisingly intent turquoise eyes. Kagome blinked. She's never noticed…but is eyes are very pretty_…they remind me of Inuyasha's with how different they are… _"Even so, I did not say you could go."

Immediately annoyance took over any wonder she held about his eyes when his voice broke her thoughts and Kagome quickly took a step back, trying to force the white haired captain to release her. To no such luck, he was stronger than her. Whether it's because he was a Shinigami or her just being a soul and weakened on earth is something she can't say for sure but incredibility angry for. _Damn._

Struggling now, Kagome continued to try to pull her arm away, but his hand tightened around her wrist. "R-Release me! I thought you said you didn't come to take me away!"

"No." replied the Shinigami captain, reaching with his other hand to unsheathe his sword from his back. "I didn't. But it doesn't mean I won't take you to soul society." She moved to speak but he did before she could, already knowing what she was going to say. "I don't care what you say you have to do, or what you think, but you have no authority to say what you can do." he gripped the handle of his sword and started to bring the hilt towards Kagome's forehead, not a hard feat since they were almost the same height.

Kagome's eyes widened and she quickly increased her struggling, trying to get free so she could run away, but the grip on her wrist increased. "No! Let me go! You don't understand! I need to be here a little longer, I have to do this!" as she continued to struggle her panic grew. _I need to get free! If he actually sends me to soul society, all my waiting, all those years will go to waste! _

The hilt of his sword was closer to her head now and Kagome quickly closed her eyes, regretting what she's going to do. _I don't want to…but I can't let him take me away!_

Toushirou was about to send the annoying soul to soul society so he could move onto more important matters, but a small whisper from said soul momentarily made him pause, confused. _Why is she apologizing—?_

The small Taichou had no time to wonder when sudden pain came from his hand holding onto the girl's wrist. With a small yell, he released the girl and backed away, looking at his hand in shock where a large red, smoking burn appeared. _How did she?_

Movement from in front of him made him look up in time to see the soul turn tail and run. Recovering, Toushirou quickly cursed and took off after the girl, "wait! Stop!"

**. . .**

Kagome pushed her legs to hurry—to run to find a place she can hide until that damn Shinigami gave up and left her alone! She's been fine all these years, coming upon a few Shinigami time to time, but she's been able to hide away and escape their radar every single time!

So why now, after all these years, when she's so close to doing what she's supposed to, what she _wants _to do, does she stubble upon such a stubborn Shinigami, not once, but twice? "why is my luck always the worst?" she asked herself as she turned down some random road, still not used to this place after being here for about a half a week by now.

"I told you to wait!"

The voice closing in her on made Kagome quicken her pace, before turning yet again down another road.

Using the speed she gained from running around through the feudal era and after, Kagome quickly sped down the dark alleyway.

She knows she won't be able to stay ahead of him for long—but she was able to gain a good head start on him from the surprise attack—and she's planning on using it to her advantage as much as she possibly can. _Maybe he'll give up after a while and I'll be able to try and find my way back home._

Something appearing behind her told her differently. Kagome quickly changed her plan, turned and walked right through the wall, shivering when she walked through the building. "I hate doing that." she whispered, looking behind her where the solid wall was, then turned her head to see what building she walked into—

—but came face to face with the very Shinigami chasing after her, right in front of her, smirking with his arms crossed over his chest at his 'victory' of surprising her.

"Yeah, we all do." after that comment his smirk vanished and he took a step towards her. He reached to grab her again, but suddenly remembering the earlier incident drew back his hand. But kept a keen, sharp eye on her in case she tried to run again. "Now will you listen?" he asked, tired of chasing the infuriating soul.

Stubborn, Kagome glared and crossed her arms over her own chest, almost mimicking his posture. "Will you just leave me alone?" she asked back.

Toushirou growled. He placed a hand over his eyes to quell the headache that wanted to form. Why does this soul have to be so stubborn? Can't she just accept whatever she wants to do, she can't? "No, I can't." finally replied the white haired captain, looking at the black-haired girl. "It's my job as a soul reaper to deal with souls like you—."

"I don't care, just ignore me! I'm sure whoever is in change at soul society won't mind if you leave one soul alone." interrupted Kagome, trying to get through to the Shinigami so he'll finally leave her alone. If he won't let things go and forget about her after seeing she doesn't want to go, he should listen to reason!

"I can't do that!" Toushirou rubbed his forehead with his fore and thumb fingers, feeling the headache come painfully and without remorse. "Look," he said tiredly. "You need to go to soul society—."

Her anger that was slowly simmering suddenly boiled over at the male's insistence. Can't he be like the other Shinigami she's come across and just give up on her when she runs and they can't find her? Can't he just accept that she won't go?

Kagome's blue eyes flashed, and her hands started glowing the same blue as her arrows, but she didn't seem to notice. "No I don't! There is something I need to do, and I'm going to do it! No, stupid Shinigami is going to stop me!" quickly, before she had time to realize what she was doing, Kagome's glowing had shot out to attack the white haired male. "Leave me alone!"

Toushirou's fist clasping around hers and halting her attack dead on made Kagome freeze. Then she cursed inside her mind, knowing that attacking a Shinigami—twice for that matter, who by the way is a _captain_—in a few short minutes, probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.

Around her, the temperature seemed to drop a good 20 degrees, leaving the female soul to shiver. White puffs of air appeared when she exhaled too. _What's causing this…?_

She trailed off, realizing that her question was answered by the very captain in front of her when he tightened his grip on her glowing fist and ice appeared. It froze the blue glow and her fist inside it. It now looked like she froze blue flames on her transparent skin.

And when he looked up, Kagome gulped before the next thing she knew, she was on the floor, her arms were behind her back, and she couldn't move. "H-Hey, what is this?"

While Kagome struggled on the ground from the Kidou he placed on her, Toushirou turned his attention towards his still held up hand, slightly burned from him gripping the girl's hand to stop her attack, and sighed. "Bakudou number 1: first restraint obstruction."

From where she lay, Kagome froze, then looked up furiously at the Shinigami staring down at her. "You…you restrained me?" she questioned with anger. She can't believe the gull of this Shinigami! Actually restraining her? She admits attacking him twice may have been a bit much but still, does he really have to restrain her to such a degree?

"Yes." Toushirou eyed the soul currently struggling against the Kidou, regrettably admitting that he's impressed she can move. she shouldn't be able to lift her head up to look at him, but there she is, moving like it was nothing and glaring up at him with her glowing blue eyes. He shook his head and grabbed the hilt of Hyōrinmaru again, "now, just stay still, accept that you can't win, and go to soul society peacefully."

"I…" Kagome's eyes that once were so bright, dulled. "I can't." The plus lowered her head and looked tired suddenly, probably from the strain of fighting such a powerful binding Kidou spell placed on her. "I can't go to soul society yet." She smiled bitterly and chuckled. "Otherwise, I would have gone by now."

Hitsugaya who had knelt down to tap her forehead, stopped at the whisper and blinked. "What?"

Kagome looked away from him, "I would have gone willingly to soul society. I will _still _go willingly to soul society, but there is something important…really important I need to do _before_ I go." She suddenly looked up at him with a soft, sad smile. "Please just let me do that. Then I will go…no questions asked. No arguments…no fight. Just let me remain here a bit longer."

At the smile, Toushirou looked away. His hand gripped the hilt Hyōrinmaru tighter. Not wishing to see it, or who it reminds him of. "If you remain here longer your chain of fate—."

"My chain of fate has lasted almost 500 years, it's not going to suddenly eat away and turn me into a hollow." Continued Kagome before he could, causing the captain turned towards the girl, eyes wide in disbelief.

She chuckled at his expression and nodded. "Yeah, I've been dead for close to 500 years." She caught the question in his eyes and smiled cheerily, despite her position. "I've been able to keep my chain of fate from encroachment…and still continue to do so." she grinned slightly. "A…perk…to being able to fight and kill hollows, I can also keep myself from turning into one." She paused and let her head drop forward, expression sad again. "I'll be fine. I can protect myself from hollows, I won't turn into one… there's no harm in leaving me here. So please." Kagome closed her eyes. "Let me go and wait. Then I'll do whatever you say and go without any complaints."

It was silent as Kagome quieted and Toushirou thought. Kagome kept her eyes closed and nervously bit on her lip, dreading the time that passed and in a way, waiting for the feeling of something to be pressed against her forehead.

But instead of feeling something on her forehead, Kagome felt the pressure on her arms disappear and she could move easier. She was let go.

He let her go.

Kagome's eyes shot open and she turned wide, shocked eyes towards the Shinigami staring down at her with an unreadable expression on his face, not really able to comprehend that he really let her go. She almost thought she would have to try to attack him again—even though it probably wouldn't have worked due to the binding…but she guesses not.

The Shinigami seeing he had her attention gave her a stern look. "Fine. But you will be watched and if anything seems wrong, I will be giving you a soul burial. Got it?" he finally said, if not a bit regrettably, holding out his hand towards the soul to help her up.

Kagome stared at his hand and Toushirou sighed irritably. "Well, are you going to take it?"

That knocked Kagome out of her shock and she nodded, grabbing his colder hand with her own. He lifted her up and Kagome gave him a nod of thanks and a genuine bright smile. "Thanks."

At the smile, Toushirou quickly released her hand and turned his head away, feeling a bit awkward with the whole thing. A few silent moments passed between the two, before Toushirou turned his eyes back to the soul who was looking the opposite way and lightly cleared his throat.

Her blue eyes turned to look at him and he turned his eyes away again, "what's your name?"

To say she was surprised by the question was an understatement. Kagome blinked but answered nonetheless, realizing that with everything—she never told him her name. _It wasn't important then._ Thought Kagome, shaking her head and grinning towards the Shinigami.

"Kagome. My name's Kagome Higurashi."

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**Reviews are loved, flames stared at, and advice appreciated! Until next chapter!**


	3. C A U S E 1

**Disclaimer**: this is fan-fiction, and as much as I would like to say I own something, I don't. So yeah, I own nothing. Nothing!

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**CAUSE 1: The Fighting Princess**

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"Speaking/thinking inside flashback"  
_Thinking/small flashback_  
'Actions/**actions**'  
**""hollow speaking""**

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She actually was the one that looked for _him_.

"_Okay! So you're a fighting princess!"_

* * *

Long black and transparent lashes lowered over just as transparent cobalt blue eyes in a bored fashion, the owner of said eyes releasing yet another string of arrows towards the hollows that came after them—mouths opened and attempting to devour them.

She really can't believe her luck. It's been a few days since she told the Shinigami captain—Toushirou she remembered his name was—her name. And after they were properly acquainted, he immediately started telling her rules and conditions of being allowed to roam till she could 'do whatever it is she's so adamant about doing.'

His exact words.

Said conditions were the usual of commands. 'Don't let yourself be seen by other Shinigami', 'don't do something stupid', things of that sort and don't bother her. She isn't too keen on letting herself be seen by others like him in the first place if it isn't an emergency. _Though the 'don't do something stupid' condition is going to be a bit tougher…_

Kagome's mouth curved into a small thoughtful line. _Does killing hollows count in his category of something stupid? _She was still for a moment, before shrugging. _Whatever. He didn't specify what stupid was to him so I'll go by my own. And killing hollows to me isn't stupid._

Nope, it fights off boredom, allows her to release her reiatsu, (carefully though. Don't want Chibi-taichou to sense it then scold or use it as an excuse to send her to soul society!) And she does something good for the resident dead community.

A three for three in her opinion…

Besides, she'll need something to use as a vent for any annoyance or anger that may come due to the last and most important of conditions Toushirou Hitsugaya made very clear.

She can't go home.

She's forced to stay here in this town—Karakura—is what he called it. She can't leave Karakura town.

She can travel anywhere she wants to in Karakura, but leaving is strictly forbidden. Her current 'guardian' is stationed here in this town and as he so delicately put it 'doesn't want to go chasing after some soul' so she's too also stay here until she needs to do what she needs to do.

"_And if you try to leave Karakura, I will know." _

She snorted at the memory. Ha! He'll know her foot! He hasn't even been able to sense her—she knows that for a fact, since she was able to surprise him twice already. The first and second time they met. She truthfully hasn't seen him since. _So, I'm not too sure how he'll be able to sense me…_

Like things of fruit being hit for sport, two of the hollows were hit right in the chest and due to the force of said arrows, flew back before being pinned on a few buildings, disintegrating after twin howls of pain and being purified into dust.

_I mean, I can't think of anything he could do to be able to notice if I leave._ She thought. _I should just out of spite…he'll never notice and will probably already forget about the 'annoying' soul._

It's a good plan. She would have already done it by now actually, but while it seems it isn't something hard to do, that's a big, fat, _lie_. Just leaving this infuriating town is harder than she first thought!

She's never been here, so she has no clue on how to head back the way she's came…and it's been a little over a week since she's came so the spiritual print she left on her way here is long gone.

_oh, and let's not forgot the lovely addition to this town…_ she thought sarcastically, inwardly steaming at her luck for finding the most _interesting_ of towns to get lost in.

**""****Damn you! I will kill you for your interference of my meal!"" **

Hollows here are in abundance. It's like they breed here or something! Sure Tokyo has its fair share of hollows but nothing like this, they have a few hollows every so often…but here? Everywhere you turn it's like there's a hollow there, just waiting!

_And it's probably because of all the fucking spiritual pressure that's here._ Was the girl's next annoyed thought. There are so many people here that have spiritual pressure…too many for her to count on her hands. That's a bad thing.

It calls hollows. Like the ones currently trying to _eat_ her.

**""****Die! Your soul will be mine!""**

Kagome Higurashi, temporary (involuntary) resident of Karakura town, slowly turned her head towards the annoying and ear splitting voice. She blinked at the long snake-like hollow that came at her, four more hollows behind it. "Yeah, yeah." she then replied with disinterest, drawing back her hand again. 6 long arrows formed in a perfect straight line as she closed an eye in concentration. "I've heard all that before too."

She finished the statement by opening her hand. as if she really let go of a bow-string the six arrows flew through the sky like bullets, two hitting the snake hollow in its eyes and the four others, flying passed—one even going through the hollow hole of the snake in front—and hit the other four, killing them all instantly.

After they yelled out in pain and vanished, Kagome sighed and allowed the glow covering her hands to vanish, finally finished with the killing the group that appeared. "It's nothing new…" she smirked faintly, amused. "You'd think, after all these years…they'd finally learn some new lines to say…"

She trailed off, but turned towards the two trembling figures that hid a little ways a way, behind a trashcan. "You can come out now…the monsters are gone." She called out softly. She doesn't want to scare them after all…they are already frightened… _No need to make it worse._

The two forms heeded her soft command and listened. Both the small figures came out after a quick look around themselves before running up to her quickly—as if they were expecting more hollows to suddenly appear.

_But…considering all the spiritual energy around._ Mused Kagome, watching the kids running towards her. _I could believe it._ She has no clue why so many spiritual beings are here…most she can tell are Shinigami and sometimes she swears she senses a Quincy or two. _Even though the second flickers in and out of existence._ She frowned. _Then there are those beings…_ the one's she can also sense, but have no clue what the _hell_ they are. They fill like a mix between Shinigami and hollow.

But since she's not too sure what they are—she's stayed away from where she senses them coming from. _This town is weird…_ she thought, still watching the two figures, which were from what she could see now, where a boy and a girl.

The girl being older by a few years and seemingly the more braver of the two—she held the boys smaller hand in her own as she ran towards her, her face set in determination, but looking like she was holding in the response to cry.

It broke her heart. _Don't they know that with all the people they have here with spiritual pressure makes the souls that haven't yet been found in danger? _They are the first souls she's saved here but she's seen many more around…and all were hiding and looking scared. When she tried to speak to a few about directions they all just ran away from her, or huddled down in terror and wouldn't answer.

With some sadness in her gaze Kagome looked back at the kids and noticed that they were siblings. Both had the same hair color and similar face features. The only striking differences were their eyes and style of hair. The girl's was a light almost honey brown and her black hair was cut to her shoulders, and the boys a dark chocolate with his hair cut short to his scalp. _How sad…there must have been an accident…_

Kagome's thoughts halted when surprisingly, instead of stopping in front of her, the two children still came running and both grabbed onto her legs, gripping onto her tightly in a hugging fashion. And almost knocking her down if it wasn't for her placing the heels of her feet into the ground to keep herself upright.

She ignored the sudden pain that stabbed her chest from the familiarity of the movement and placed a smile onto her face. "Hey. It's alright…" she placed two delicate hands on their heads in a comforting matter. "I told you…the monsters are gone…you guys are safe."

The girl looked up at her with tears in her eyes. Apparently, her determined front was too much to keep up. "r-really?" she sniffed and grabbed onto her younger brother, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as he continued to cry into Kagome's legs. "I…those monsters just suddenly appeared—and—I."

Kneeling down to calm the now panicking girl before she causes her brother to follow, she gave a small comforting shushing sound. "Yes, yes. I know." she grinned at the girl. "But I got rid of them." the boy finally looked up and she wiped his eyes with her thumbs. "And if more come, I'll get rid of those ones too."

The boy sniffed and looked at her with such a hopeful expression, she almost hugged him at how cute he looked. "Really? You…promise?"

Grinning even brighter, Kagome winked at the boy who blushed. "Yep!" she chirped happily, gleefully pointing her thumb at herself and raising her chin a bit more as a way to joke. "Just leave it to me! Knight Kagome to the rescue!"

She got the laughing she wanted and smiled, standing up now that they were calm. Both still clung to her though.

Then the boy looked up at her, confused. "but…you're a girl…aren't you supposed to be a princess?""

"Hey! Girls can be knights too!" interjected the girl, before blinking and looking up at her too, also innocently confused. "But…yeah. You don't look like a knight…you look more like a princess to me…"

The black-haired soul faltered a bit at the young children's logic, before laughing and scratching the back of her head, looking thoughtful. "Ah…right." she tilted her head, and looked back down to the innocently serious boy and girl. "Well, then I guess I'm one of those princesses…to the rescue."

Both blinked again followed by twin grins from the young souls. "Okay! So you're a fighting princess!"

She chuckled but shook her head, needing to get down to business. She needs to find a way to protect these kids. They can't keep staying here when multiple hollows will appear, plus there's the fact of their own chain of fates…it looks like they have about a day, two at the most before they turn into hollows and she doesn't want to take any chances.

She needs to get them sent to soul society. She felt a small bit of sadness. _Like all the others._ She sighed. _Looks like I'm going to have to do it here too._

A little after she…died…she started helping other souls and directing them to soul reapers so they could be sent to soul society and gain some peace. She still does it at Tokyo but now it looks like she's going to be helping here as well.

She rubbed her neck. _Might as well. If I'm going to be here a while._ It's better than just running around useless. Kagome's eyes lowered. She's doesn't want that—.

"Nee-chan?"

The small voice Kagome out of her thoughts and she looked down, where her current two charges stared up at her worriedly. The boy titled his head and grabbed onto the edge of her clothes, tugging on them lightly to get her attention. "Are you okay nee-chan?" he blinked his chocolate orbs at her. "You suddenly looked sad…"

"n-nee-chan?" stuttered Kagome, blushing red at the new title. She hasn't been called 'nee-chan' in a while…

Both nodded and the girl gave another toothy grin, grabbing onto her hand. "Yeah! You're our nee-chan now! You saved us from the monsters! And well…" she looked embarrassed, her free hand going to the chain on her chest. "You have the same chainy thing as we do…" the girl's wide eyes looked from her face to Kagome's own chain of fate. "So...we thought since you're the same why don't you become our sister?"

She trailed off and Kagome let a small smile form on her face, nodding to show the kids she understood. "I see and I don't mind." She hummed a bit. "It's been awhile since I've had any younger siblings."

"Really?" asked the young boy, "did your family vanish too?"

Kagome froze. "w-what?"

"Your family." Repeated the girl for her brother. "Did they disappear?" she looked down sadly and sighed. "You're like us…we were just wondering if your family went away like ours did…" she sniffed and wiped her eyes. "We don't know exactly what happened…but we can remember smelling something burning that made us cry…before nothing. When we woke up again, our daddy was gone…"

Understanding filled Kagome with horrible clarity. _A fire…they were killed in a fire._ Both looked up at her and she shook her head again, getting rid of the sad feelings and gave them a shaky smile. "Y-yeah. My family…my family vanished too." she sighed sadly herself. "They… vanished a…long time ago."

"See? So we can be a family too right?" the younger boy's smile was something Kagome couldn't say no to, so she just nodded and grabbed onto both their hands, starting to lead them down the street so they aren't in the same place in case more hollow came to investigate the sudden reiatsu burst she made. "Sure. We're a family now. But first, we need to get you guys someplace safe…"

"Someplace safe?" echoed the younger girl, looking up at her.

Kagome nodded, but keep her eyes focused on the area around them. She needs to get them to soul society. Sadly, she is unable to do such a thing herself so she has to find a soul reaper to do it. "Yes… someplace safe. The place we are going to is a place where the monsters won't be able to get you."

The two kids holding onto her hands like lifelines tightened their grips and smiled. "Really? No more monsters?"

The black-haired teen shook her head. "No more monsters."

"Cool!" the boy started to jump from foot to foot like he was jumping from one tile to another, slowing them down a bit. The girl soon jumped in and Kagome was left laughing as she was slowly taken down the road as they played. "Then we'll be able to be a family! And I'm sure we'll fine papa there!" he stopped and smiled up at her. "You'll like papa…he's funny and nice! And he'll be so surprised when we tell him we have a new family member!"

Her heart was cracking but she didn't let it show as she kept on nodding to the children as they told her about their 'papa' and all the fun stuff they used to do together. It was then that Kagome remembered something and stopped, confusing the children. "Nee-chan? You okay?"

"Y-yeah." Kagome chuckled and stared down at her 'siblings'. "I just remembered something…" she eyed the two curiously. "What are your names?"

The children giggled and smiled, pulling away from her to move in front of her. "That's right! We didn't tell you our names!" The girl quickly pointed herself brightly. "I'm Natsuko!" she turned towards her brother, now pointing to him. "And he's Yasuo!"

Kagome nodded again and let the smile appear back on her face. "Well, it's nice to know your names, Natsuko, Yasuo…" she bowed her head a bit. "I'm Kagome."

Their faces brightened when she told them her name, like she gave them both the brightest of praise. "Kagome-nee!" Kagome's hands were once again grabbed by the kids as they started walking again, but this time both were lightly dragging her to move faster. "Let's go, let's go! The faster we get to this safe place, the faster daddy can meet you Kagome-nee!"

Not having the heart to stop them with their fun, Kagome let them drag her around. Only telling them where to go when they needed to take a turn or go down some street.

Usually in the past she's just lead the souls to a soul reaper without actually taking them—fearing the possibility of the soul reaper trying to have her go as well—but this time she can't just tell them where to go. She can faintly sense more hollows that will just _love_ to attack these kids.

She already blew her cover by interrupting the previous hollows from attacking them, anyway. So might as well just take them herself to a soul reaper while she's at it. Kagome smiled as she was lead down the road.

Besides, she knows just the perfect Shinigami.

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**Reviews are loved, flames stared at, and advice appreciated! Until next chapter!**


	4. The Grumpy Knight

**Disclaimer**: this is fan-fiction, and as much as I would like to say I own something, I don't. So yeah, I own nothing. Nothing!

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**Encounter 3: The Grumpy Knight**

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"Speaking/thinking inside flashback"  
_Thinking/small flashback_  
**""hollow speaking""**

* * *

The third encounter…was the first time they actually held a conversation.

"_You're a princess! So if he helps you...he has to be the knight right?"_

* * *

She found him, thankfully a few hours later. It took a bit longer to find him because throughout the day she sensed his reiatsu moving around from place to place—but now since it's late and nighttime, she's hoping he won't move anymore.

He hasn't for about a half hour…so she can only hope he's 'turning in' for the night. It will make explaining things to him, much, much easier.

Because she's not too sure he'll like to listen to her…he still doesn't seem too fond of her…if the way he left their second meeting was any concern. Inwardly she chuckled. _I think he's still mad at me for attacking him…twice. _Even after she healed him. He just gave a rough 'goodbye' and left her on her own…so she can only hope he'll listen to her.

"Okay...we're here." said Kagome, coming to a stop in front of an apartment building she's never seen before. She looked up at the building and saw a few lights on…and a few loud female voices but didn't hear him._ He is on the roof. That's where I sense his reiatsu…even if, for some reason it feels weaker... _

Her thoughts trailed off when Yasuo lightly tugged on her hand, gaining her attention. "We're here?" he asked confused, looking at the large building in wonder. "But it's just a building…"

His sister picked up where he trailed off. "Yeah, Kagome-nee…it's just a large apartment house." Natsuko gave her a furrowed eyed, confused stare. "This is where the monsters won't be able to get us anymore?"

Kagome shook her head, chuckling. "You're close…the person we need to help us is here. He'll be able to help us get to the safe place."

Both kids' eyes brightened, getting what she meant. "Okay, where is he?"

Kagome let go of their hands and lightly pushed them towards the small crook between the stairs for them to hide in. she's killed any hollows that have gotten too close for comfort, and doesn't think any more will come within the span of a few minutes…but you can't know for sure. It's better to be safe than sorry. _I sense two other strong reiatsu here…other than Chibi-taichou of course._ Was the girl's thought as she looked up at the roof.

Then she turned to the two suddenly scared children, smiling to calm them down. When they saw her smile they did calm down, but a small fear was in their eyes. "Its alright." she spoke to assure their worries. "I'll be right back. I can't take you guys with Me." _it would be too hard to climb with them with me._ "You'll be safe here. So don't worry."

Yasuo looked like he wanted to speak and ignore her orders, but when Natsuko grabbed his hand and shook her head; he stopped and nodded, leaning into his sister for comfort. Kagome sent a grateful smile to the girl before standing up straight and moving to the side of the building where a large trashcan was perched.

Looking at it, then the rest of her surroundings, Kagome's head tilted as she looked on how she was going to make it up to the roof. Using the stairs inside would take too long, and she doesn't want to be seen by the other two that held the other high reiatsu. One was a Shinigami and the other just had high reiatsu.

But both could see her.

_Oh well._ With a shrug, Kagome jumped onto the trashcan, her feet landing on the edge of the metal with some grace. Then, after bending her knees for a high spring upward, she jumped up from the trashcan to the large black latter that was about 10 feet from the ground. She landed on the latter with a foot on one of the bars, but without pausing in her movements, used it as leverage and jumped from there to a small grey pipe a bit a ways, doing the same actions she did previously to scale up the three-story building.

And once she was about 5 feet from the roof, Kagome pushed a bit more with her strength and flipped onto the ledge of the building, now on the roof, and grinning brightly.

She looked down to the ground, and pushed her wayward hair out of her face, still grinning and not at all out of breath. _I still got it._

Kagome rolled her neck, mostly out of memory and turned her attention back to the matter at hand. Getting to Mr. Chibi-taichou! She looked around the roof until she spotted him—it wasn't hard, he had bright snow-white hair after all.

Toushirou was currently facing away from her. The Shinigami was lying on his back with his arms supporting his head as a pillow and from where she stood, looked like his eyes were closed. But since he was all the way in the middle of the building she couldn't say for sure exactly. One leg was bent at the knee with the other dangling almost lifelessly on the first.

If she didn't want to be quiet, Kagome's sure she would have giggled. Right now, Hitsugaya looked completely relaxed. Which is, from what she's seen of the captain, a bit...different. She's always seen him angry, annoyed or serious. And that's just with two meetings!

Doesn't seem like a lot, when it is…after all first expressions _can_ tell you a lot and from what she saw, Hitsugaya Toushirou, is someone who's serious…and probably more than he should be. He after all only looks a bit younger than she is…and she is 15.

Well…physically. In years…she's actually much, much older. And Toushirou, well she doesn't know how old he really is…but he can pass for a 13-14 year old*.

Shaking her head quickly at how her thoughts strayed, Kagome quietly jumped down from the ledge and started walking towards Toushirou quietly. She doesn't want to disturb him more than she needs to. She does after all want him to listen.

And if he were to get angry at her and take off—she does not want to go chasing after him after doing so for an entire day already! The two kids are tired; they'll have to go after him tomorrow. _We can't waste any days…I don't want to keep them here longer than they should be…they both only have a little more time till the encroachment gets to the end…_

Her heart would ache incredibly if she'd had to fight either of them if they turned into hollows.

She made it to the small captain and stopped a little ways away from his head, not wanting to get too close and wake him till she has something to say. _How should I start?_ She questioned herself. _'Hello Toushirou! Nice night huh? Well, I came all the way here—even though you don't like me because I need you to do me a big favor! Hahaha'_ she frowned. _Or 'hi! You're a Shinigami right? And all Shinigami have jobs to protect soul's right? Well good because I have just a job for you—!'_

The girl face palmed and shook her head. _That doesn't work._ She sighed and let her hand slide down her face. _I should just come out and ask him!_ At least, that's what she told herself. But it's much harder than that. How do you ask someone that doesn't partially favor you to do something _for_ you?

Kagome turned her eyes to the captain, staring down at his face. _He has too. He can't be that evil to leave two kids wondering around._ Wondered Kagome, scanning his features for any sort of answer. _Right? He did let me stay here…instead of forcing me to go to soul society._

She trailed off and her head tilted, looking at his relaxed face and closed eyes. _Ya know. When he's not being such a serious grumpy person…he really does look peaceful._ Kagome lightly grinned. _And it helps that Hitsugaya is handsome._

The girl had to cover her mouth with her hands to keep from laughing out at her thoughts. It is Shippou and Miroku's fault after all. Oh, and Miroku's children too. Well, most of them.

She shook her head. _Especially with their jokes of me being dead and all the wonderfully perverted stuff I could do with being so._

With an inward sigh at some of the memories, Kagome sat down cross-legged and leaned her chin in her hands, using her elbows as support by placing them on her knees. _Well, no more memories. What am I gonna ask him?_

After a few seconds of silence and her hair blew in the wind, Kagome finally settled for something she thought was a good way to ask and opened her mouth to speak—

"What do you want?"

—to see bright, turquoise eyes staring up at her through the dark.

". . . . ."

It took Kagome a few seconds to realize that Toushirou was _up_, and was _staring_ at her _staring at him_ and when she did; she squeaked and jumped back, falling onto her back in complete surprise with a thump. She was not expecting him to speak! Or for him to look at her! And what the hell, she also thought he was asleep!

She voice these thoughts a second later when she pushed herself up on her elbows to stare at the captain that was now looking at her by lifting his head enough he could see her from his laying position. Otherwise though, he didn't even move. "I-I-I thought you were asleep!" she accused, growling in embarrassment. "H-how long were you awake?"

The smirk he sent her made her blush in embarrassment, knowing she was not going to like the answer. "Since you came up to the building actually."

Kagome's mouth dropped open in surprise. Hitsugaya smirked a bit more before he too pushed himself so he was sitting up facing her from his side, his arms holding him up.

It was silent for a few minutes—Kagome needing to regain her composure before she could probably speak again. He…knew…she was here. The whole time. He was awake. He knew she was _staring_ at him.

Kagome's face burned. If she was still the regular same 15 year old human, she probably would be covering her face in her hands, completely embarrassed—but she wasn't so she only continued to blush before glaring at the smirking Shinigami.

He thinks he's won? Ha! Well, he hasn't yet dealt with her long enough. She's come to learn—and finally accept—that when she's angry, she can be scary! This Shinigami will regret the day he tried to beat her! Thinking that just because he could sense her coming he actually has beat her—

_Wait._ Kagome blinked. _He sensed me? How did he sense I was coming?_ She looked towards the Shinigami, confusion taking over the anger she felt earlier. "You…sensed me? How did you sense me! You haven't been able to in the past!" _no one…ever could._

The smirk didn't fall from his face as he pointed lightly towards her left wrist—the very same wrist she attacked him with and he grabbed to stop. "Before I left, I placed a bit of my own reiatsu on your wrist. That way I would be able to know where you go even if I can't sense your own at the moment."

_He…placed his own reiatsu so he could track me himself?_ Kagome looked down at her hand, and was surprised to suddenly see an ice blue, almost white colored band of reiatsu appear around her wrist that was never there before…or at least...she didn't think it was there.

_It…looks almost like snow._ She unconsciously thought, raising her other hand to touch it._ He must have been keeping it hidden till now…which is why I never saw it. Plus, it's such a small amount…I didn't even notice it over my own until I'm actually looking for it… _

A small amount of frost appeared on the tips of her fingers and she blinked in amazement. _No, it...really is like snow. _It was also cool to the touch she noticed, and now since it was released from whatever Toushirou put on it to keep it hidden, the area the reiatsu touched her skin felt colder than the rest. _And._ she thought with some interest. _It doesn't feel at all unpleasant…it's actually… comforting. Surprisingly. _A small humorous smile appeared on her face and her eyes lit up. _That's what he meant by knowing…if I actually was able to leave, he really would have known._

She's never seen anything like this done before. Using reiatsu as a way to find someone? Why didn't she think of this earlier? It could have helped her so many times! Grinning brightly, she stared down at the glowing reiatsu and lightly ran her hand over it, marveling at the fact that as she did so, the palm of her hand became covered in a thin, paper-like coat of frost. _Amazing…_

Kagome's wonderment was cut short when she realized it was quiet and she sensed something looking at her.

Blinking, she looked back up to see it was Toushirou staring at her. She blinked again, confused and tilted her head for a second time on the roof. "What's wrong?" _is something on my face?_

As if knocked from his thoughts, Hitsugaya shook his head and turned his head away, looking up at the sky and stars—anywhere but her for some reason. "Nothing." He answered a bit too quickly and Kagome was left even more confused than before and staring at the Shinigami herself. _Okay…?_

"So...why did you come here?" asked the white-haired Shinigami.

His sudden sentence made Kagome gasp, quickly recalling the reason why she was here in the first place! The girl shook her head again, getting rid of any thoughts except the important ones. "I need you to do me a big favor!"

He looked down from the sky to her, eyebrow raised and Kagome quickly clapped her hands together once and bowed slightly from her sitting position. "Please…I know we haven't exactly seen eye to eye—." She heard something like an 'obviously' from the current male she's trying to convince to help her, and she had to bite down a sarcastic remark. So settling with a twitching eyebrow, Kagome closed her eyes and continued, hands still in front of her. "But I would really, really appreciate it if you help me. You are the only one I can ask!"

Silence answered her. Kagome bit down on her lip but kept her hands up in the air, hoping…praying he would help her—

"What…kind of favor?"

The reply was hesitant, but it still was a reply and Kagome quickly looked up to Toushirou, grinning brightly and eyes shining. "Y-You'll really help me?" she clasped her two hands together and leaned in closer to the Shinigami, wanting to make sure he wouldn't suddenly change his mind. If he did, she's not too sure how she'll be able to convince him.

A tinged of pink appeared on the captain's face at how close she was getting. He's used to women getting close to him, Matsumoto is a big example so he's used to females getting close—but the fact that Kagome was, out of clear gratitude and not some kind of teasing or messing with, was what made it different.

Which is why he was blushing and now nervously pulling back from the girl.

It wasn't because from the way she was facing the moon made her still surprisingly bright eyes glow even brighter in the dark. Or the smile she gave him was also surprisingly calming. Nope. Not at all.

All this went unnoticed to Kagome though, who just continued to smile. She's happy he didn't just flat out refuse. "It's nothing big." Answered the girl, shaking her head. "I just have a few kid souls that need to be taken to soul society."

At what he heard, Toushirou blinked and stopped moving back. He was now slightly leaning on his bent right arm, staring at Kagome, who, after speaking pulled back completely and stood. Her words ran through his mind and he shook it, staring at the girl now mumbling to herself. "Two…kid souls?"

Kagome stopped mumbling and gave him a strange look for his sudden confusion. He quickly shook his head again to clear it, and sat up straight, crossing his arms in front of his chest, back to his usual serious disposition and staring up at Kagome, who at his look, sheepishly smiled. "Yeah…I…sort of found two kids being chased by a group of hollows earlier."

"You what—."

Before Hitsugaya could even attempt to speak about what she did, Kagome cut him off. "I killed them and don't worry, no one sensed or saw Me." she waved her hand in dismissal at his glare. "I couldn't leave the kids there or send them off alone! More hollow could have found them. So I took them with me and was hoping you could send them off."

She wisely kept out the fact it took all day to find him. She doesn't want to give him any more reason to think he's beaten her. "You're the only soul reaper I currently know." she lightly laughed. "And the only one that wouldn't try to send me to soul society when they saw me…"

His nod told her she didn't have to continue, so she trailed off while the Shinigami himself stood, dusting himself off. "Fine. I'll perform the konso."

The girl gave an outward sigh, completely thankful. "Thank you, Hitsugaya-taichou."

He stopped dusting himself at her proper use of his name and she grinned, waving. "What? I can be polite when I want to."

The deadpanned stare he gave her showed he didn't entirely believe her, and she only sighed again to keep from yelling out at him. Instead, she took to taking in his current appearance, noticing now since he was standing that he wasn't in his Shinigami form.

Toushirou was in a gigai. _At least now I know why his reiatsu seems weaker. The gigai is concealing a bit of it._

He looked like a regular human—but all Shinigami do. That's what a gigai was for anyway. Kagome shook her head at her thoughts, but admittedly amazed with the invention of the gigai. She's heard of gigai from…her, ah, listening in on a few Shinigami conversations in the past but never seen one. So it's a bit interesting to see that with just something like a gigai, a soul could become visible to regular humans.

Interact with them…talk with them—

"Are you coming?"

With surprise Kagome looked back at Toushirou and noticed with a bit of shock that while her musings, he had already parted with the gigai, if the flash of white light and sudden appearance of two Hitsugaya's didn't already prove it so. One wearing human clothes, the other in a Shinigami uniform.

After the Shinigami Hitsugaya told the human Hitsugaya to wait here, he looked back to her before turning and walking. "Where are these kids?"

Blushing a bit, Kagome quickly ran to catch up to the Shinigami heading towards the ledge of the roof. "I told them to wait and hide under the stairs." He looked at her for the comment and she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "What? I wanted them hidden in case another one of those hundreds of hollows around here decided to attack. I wasn't going to leave them out in the open."

He didn't give her a response. Hitsugaya only jumped down to the ground and after rolling her eyes, Kagome followed, jumping after him.

When she landed on the ground, Toushirou, who apparently was walking to the kids stopped when said souls suddenly ran out and passed him, smiling and arms spread out happily towards her. "Nee-chan!"

She knelt slightly and wrapped her arms around the kids when they hugged her, smiling, until she looked up and saw Toushirou looking at her funny again. The smile fell and she gave a nervous cough, looking back down again. "Y-yeah, I'm back, and I have the person who's going to help us."

She looked up to Toushirou and the two kids did the same. When they saw him they furrowed their eyebrows, then Yasuo looked up at her. "He's…the person who's going to help us get to the safe place?"

Kagome nodded again and the boy looked back to Toushirou who was now walking towards them. Seeing this, both drew back behind her legs, gripping onto her clothes tightly and hiding. Natsuko even sounded a bit wary. "He…seems grumpy for someone who's going to help us, nee-chan."

Toushirou stopped walking, shocked at the girl's explanation of him and Kagome couldn't help herself—she started laughing. She got a glare from the Shinigami but at the moment she didn't care. It was just so funny how quickly Natsuko pegged him. She was 100 percent right. "I-I know he seems grumpy." Continued Kagome, wiping her eyes and trying to stop laughing. "But he's really the person that's gonna help us…so be nice."

The young soul pouted but listened, while Yasuo suddenly blinked and turned back to Toushirou, pointing at him curiously. "Nee-chan…is he your knight?"

Both Kagome and Hitsugaya froze at this. "W-What do you mean Yasuo?"

The boy gave an innocent shrug. "You're a princess!" he exclaimed looking shocked that she seemed to forget her 'standing' so quickly before shaking his head and pointing to Toushirou. "So if he helps you...he has to be the knight right?"

Kagome's face burned with embarrassment for a second time that night. She felt Hitsugaya's curious stare on her head but refused to look up at him, even more embarrassed then when they were on the roof. Instead she gave a nervous smile to the children, not too sure how to explain. "Um… well… I… can't... say… really-I mean—."

"Yeah, I am."

The three souls looked up towards the Shinigami, who looked a bit embarrassed and refused to look towards them, arms crossed over his chest tightly. But with his admittance, any wariness the two had for him quickly vanished when her charges quickly smiled, left her side, and ran up to the Shinigami, amazed. "Oh wow, really?"

Hitsugaya nodded and was subject to two awed looks while Kagome in the background watched, surprised and shocked. Then a smile appeared on her face. _I see. He said so, so they wouldn't be afraid of him anymore. _She watched how Yasuo and Natsuko kept asking him questions, the former tugging lightly on Toushirou's white haori and motioning to his Zanpakutou. She grinned. _Which has worked. Yasuo appears to have taken a liking to him…he looks like he now has himself a new idol…_

As she watched the scene, all of it—from a lightly flustered and uncomfortable Toushirou at how to deal with all the questions thrown at him, to Natsuko's silent but clear amazement, and finally Yasuo's eagerness to speak—she couldn't help but feeling something at the scene. A small tightness in her chest that appeared as she watched the youngest soul. There was just something in the boy's wide brown eyes that made her feel a sudden sense of déjà vu.

Because the way Yasuo looks right now, reminds her so much on how Souta used looked up to Inuyasha. The wide eyes, the 20 questions a minute, everything…

…it's uncanny but not unwanted. It…feels good, to be reminded of something that hasn't been for a while. She missed it.

"Kagome." she looked up from her youngest 'sibling' to Hitsugaya, catching his expression and nodded in understanding. _But it seems he won't be able to ask him many more questions._ Sighing, Kagome walked up to the group of three. "Okay stop bothering Hitsugaya. We…need to go."

The two little souls looked up, looking sad but nodded and pulled away from Toushirou. "Alright…"

"Okay, line up together and grab each other's hands." Replied Kagome as Toushirou grabbed his sword.

They listened to her commands but then gave her a curious look. "What about you Kagome-nee? Aren't you coming too?" asked Natsuko as Yasuo held out his hand for her to take.

"_Aren't you coming too Kagome?"_

Kagome stared at the held out hand for a long moment—but quickly fisted her hands at her sides and swallowed down the sudden feeling that slowly started to creep up her spine.

"I." she then gave a shaky breath, eyes tearing up though she kept a smile on her face to keep them from worrying. "Y-yeah…I'm gonna come too but…I need to make sure you guys get there first. I'll be right behind you two. So don't let go of each other's hands alright?" when they nodded, she had to bite down on her lip to make sure she didn't start crying.

She doesn't want to lie to them. It's hurts to do so, telling all the souls she's come across, met, spoke to. To speak to those she's loves when they pass on and telling them, _'yeah, I'll be right behind you'_ when that's nothing but a lie. She won't be right behind them. She _never_ will be.

She never is, despite her best wishes.

She's to remain here for some more time. And every time must she continuously lie. It's something she's dealt with for years. Has come to accept. No matter how much she wishes she could give that real smile and nod truthfully, give them _the truth_—actually leave—she can't.

And somewhere deep down, she detests that fact.

Kagome knelt down and placed her hands on each of their shoulders, still smiling a teary smile. "So…I'll see you guys…_and don't let go_. You hear me?" her grip on their shoulders tightened ever so softly as her voice trembled. "Don't you ever, _ever_ let go of each other till you're at the safe place...and…and I'm with you alright? Keep holding onto each other's hand. _Never, never_ let go." The black-haired girl repeated to them.

She needs to make sure they understand that while they are traveling to the other side—they are together and won't let the other go. If there's one thing she needs to do for them, it's at least this. To make sure they leave together. That way when they arrive on the other side, they still have each other.

They won't be alone—even if they don't remember each other, or her—they'll have each other and will stick together seeing that they came together.

"Right! We'll be waiting for you nee-chan!" came Natsuko's cherry tone.

The smile on Kagome's face grew tighter and she pulled away from the two so Hitsugaya could perform the soul burial.

_No…_

After Hitsugaya tapped both their foreheads, she watched as they both vanished in a flash of white light before two-twin hell butterflies took their place, flying around each other up into the sky and slowly vanishing.

_You won't._

With another small flash, the butterflies vanished, leaving Toushirou and Kagome alone.

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**Reviews are loved, flames stared at, and advice appreciated! Until next chapter!**


	5. Something in Motion

**Disclaimer**: this is fan-fiction, and as much as I would like to say I own something, I don't. So yeah, I own nothing. Nothing!

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**Encounter 4: Something in Motion**

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"Speaking/thinking inside flashback"  
_Thinking/small flashback_  
'Actions/**actions**'  
**""hollow speaking""**

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The fourth encounter they had…he found she actually confused him more than she irritated him.

"_You don't want to be here right, so why are you refusing to leave?"_

* * *

Blue-grey eyes of one ginger-haired, Matsumoto Rangiku, lieutenant of the 10th division in soul society, avid drinker of all things sake, were fixed upon one spot of the ceiling. The usual easy-going gleam in her eyes, gone, and replaced with a rare look of seriousness. _What is or did captain do up there?_

She could have sworn that just minutes ago she could hear people talking up on the roof—one of them undoubtedly her captain. Then not even five minutes later, she sensed Hitsugaya's reiatsu flux…like something was going on but as quick as it happened, his reiatsu went back to normal and things since have been quiet.

The woman blinked, then pouted. _What's he up to?_

"Ah, Rangiku-san?"

The big-busted woman turned her attention from the ceiling towards the speaker, seeing a smiling but slightly confused Orihime staring at her, two small bowls and each hand. "Are you alright?" questioned the friendly girl, before turning her attention to where she was looking just seconds ago. "Is something wrong?"

At Orihime's worried tone, the older woman quickly snapped out of her serious front and grinned, waving her hand in the air to catch and divert the other female's attention away from the ceiling. "Na! Nothing's wrong Orihime-chan!" she said. "Just thought I saw something, but I guess I'm just seeing things!"

"Oh." Orihime looked back down at her then grinned back, the incident long forgotten as she quickly placed the two bowls down on the table. "Okay, well I hope you are still hungry!" replied Orihime bringing out two spoons she had in one hand and handing it to the other woman. "Cause I made desert!"

As she happily accepted the dish from Orihime—not willing to pass up such good food—Matsumoto couldn't help but look up once more at the ceiling where Hitsugaya was.

**. . .**

When he landed back ledge of the apartment building's roof, Hitsugaya gave a tired sigh and ran a hand through his stark white hair. _Finally that's done._ Maybe now he'd be able to get some rest…

"Hitsugaya-taichou."

He looked up towards the gigai calling his name and saw his own image staring back at him from a few feet away. "Are you done sir?"

Toushirou nodded and the gikongan gave a lazy salute. A large white flash was then seen as the soul candy he placed inside the faux body was spat out and the now empty gigai started to fall down the ground, uninhabited.

Before that could happen though, Hitsugaya had walked from the ledge he was on and like nothing walked into the gigai, grabbing the soul candy before it too could hit the ground.

The comforting weightlessness vanished as he took over and adjusted to the shift between the two, making him frown and roll his neck and shoulders, trying to get rid of temporary feeling of suffocation that always came with being unable to use his abilities. _Annoying…_

He would prefer if they didn't have to blend in with the humans. It's simpler, easier for movement, and they don't have to worry about gigai and whatnot—but orders are orders. _Even if I don't agree with them..._

Which brings into question, when are new orders to arrive? He's only been in the real world for about a week and a half and he has to say he's sick of it. He would much rather be on the investigation team, researching information on Aizen's plans…

He looked around the dark and silent Karakura town.

…not stuck on patrolling the city. Sure, they are on the lookout for more arrancar in case they return, but since that one attack there have been no more sightings. So all they've been doing is exterminating hollows, training, and sending souls to soul society. _Speaking of souls…_

The small captain's eyes turned down towards the ground where one particular soul was before she vanished for a second time. _She…was acting weird._ Well, weirder for her anyway. He stared at the empty sidewalk for only a few moments then turned away; walking towards his place on the roof and laying back down in the same position he was in before the girl came and interrupted his peace. _Forget it._ He thought, closing his eyes and relaxing to attempt to get back to his rest.

_A shaky smile. Watering cobalt blue. Silence._

Toushirou's eyebrows furrowed, but he refused to think any more on the subject. If the annoying soul was acting weird then it's her concern for acting weird in the first place. It wasn't even his fault. All he did was as she asked. _I preformed the konso, sent the children to soul society. I'm done._

Even though he tried to convince himself of this, that his job as the Shinigami was over, he had no luck.

Something…felt wrong.

Frowning even deeper at the fact he could not get back to sleep, Toushirou opened his eyes and glared up at the sky—as if it was its fault he was unable to rest anymore—when he knew the real reason.

The soul. The girl, Higurashi Kagome.

She's…a strange soul. And not only because she can use her reiatsu, or has knowledge no plusses have ever known, or that she is undoubtedly stubborn and highly annoying, no. it's because she complains and complains about not wanting to go to soul society yet—for the reason she has something important to do—so she won't go…

…while helping _others_ to get there. She has so much to argue about when it comes to soul society and her leaving, but without any complaints she helps others get there.

It doesn't seem too strange, for a soul that won't go to help others do so—because it just seems that they are protecting themselves from having to go by assisting others, but with that girl, Kagome, she does it with such a look on her face it makes her strange.

She was so sad.

She was close to tears while watching the kids leave, and when they were completely gone and they were alone, he noticed that both her hands were fisted and shaking.

He narrowed his eyes. _Was it because she was sad for the kids leaving? Or something else entirely?_ She did seem attached to the two souls, but was quick to let them go. If she didn't want them to go, wouldn't she have tried to keep them here on earth as long as she possibly could?

She could have. Could have waited until morning even, he saw how far the encroachment was on their chains of fate. They both would have lasted at least another day, maybe even two.

He recalled Kagome's face during and before the konso—the tense smile, sad face—and knew. _She knew about that too. But she had them go anyway. _Something else is up. She cared for the two kids, but their leaving shouldn't have caused a big reaction by itself. And she knew she could have kept them with her so most of her reaction can't be because of that.

But if it wasn't, then what was?

"_I can't go to soul society yet." She smiled bitterly and chuckled. "Otherwise, I would have gone by now."_

It hit him like a ton of bricks and the captain's eyes widened as he sat up. _Soul society. What if…she really wants to go to soul society?_ It would explain the added amount of sadness she showed besides just the departure of two kids she spent the day with.

The frown appeared back on his face though, realizing a problem with what he thought he figured out. _If she wants to go to soul society so bad…then why doesn't she just go? She says she has something she needs to do…but why doesn't she just ignore it and go; it's not as if it's going to help her when she leaves—._

"~Taichou~!"

The singsong voice and sudden hug from behind cut any thoughts Toushirou had. Immediately his eyebrow started ticking and annoyance instead of thoughtfulness cloaked his form. "Matsu…moto." He said darkly. "What…do you want?" he has no time to deal with her and her lazy-attitude.

At his dark tone, Matsumoto pulled back and stared at him with wide, blue-grey eyes, expression trembling. "T-taichou…you have to be so mean?"

He wasn't falling for her act and quickly turned around, glaring at the second woman of the night to bother him. "_What?_"

Rangiku gave a huff at his cold tone, crossing her arms under her chest. "oh…nothing!" she replied, now looking around the roof, as if she was looking for something in particular, before seeing nothing and looking back to him, head tilting in a curious manner. "But were you talking to someone earlier?"

Hitsugaya froze—but it was so small a movement, you wouldn't have been able to tell he did such a movement if you weren't watching him intently.

Luckily, Matsumoto was doing no such thing. After she trailed off, she went back to scanning the area they were in, eyes even straying over to other roofs and giving Hitsugaya just enough time to recover his composure.

"No." he replied. Matsumoto looked back at him, but the other Shinigami ignored her, turning off to the side and laying down so his back was to her.

The elder Shinigami blinked, then went back to pouting, a small frown on her face at his dismissal, but used to it and his usual cold personality so not really bothered. "You sure?" she asked, staring at his back. "I thought I sensed your reiatsu flux. And I thought I heard—."

"I sent two souls to soul society. That's all."

At her captain's interruption, Matsumoto stopped. "Oh…" she said, having nothing more to really say even though she doesn't completely believe her captain.

But why would he lie? And now that she thinks about it, all she could sense was Toushirou's spiritual pressure…so maybe it was just her imagination. _But…_ thought the woman, still feeling that something was off. _It…doesn't make any sense—._

"Matsumoto."

Matsumoto turned her attention back to Hitsugaya, waiting for him to continue even though he didn't look at her. "Yeah?"

"Has it been heard of that a plus soul still in the world of the living could summon it's reiatsu at will and fight?"

The question threw Matsumoto off. A soul that could summon their reiatsu while here on earth? Then use it to fight? That's…impossible. How could a soul do something like that? Sure, they technically are plus souls and are doing just that, but they've gone to soul society and awakened their reiatsu there…so when they come over here to the land of the living they already have their abilities…

…but a regular plus, a normal soul still with their chain of fate, being able to summon their reiatsu without doing just that?

How can that be? Confused at the weird question, Matsumoto stared at Toushirou's back, hoping that maybe she'll find out what exactly her captain is thinking. "No…I don't think…I mean, I've never heard of anything like it. A plus is just a normal soul…even if they have a high spiritual pressure; they shouldn't be able to summon it till they cross over…" Toushirou tensed and she trailed off, eyebrows narrowing as she noticed and even more confused. "…why?"

The Shinigami captain was silent for a few moments before replying, "No reason. Just a simple question." He shifted so his head was resting on his bent arm. "Forget it."

Matsumoto opened her mouth, wanting to pry farther and find out what exactly is wrong with her captain, admittedly a bit worried, since he's been acting a bit weird lately. It's not bad, and she probably wouldn't have even noticed the change in him if she didn't know him and have him as a captain as long as she had, but it was there.

He seems more silent—surprisingly—and at times she thinks she can sense his reiatsu in two different places. The second one is so small though so she's not too sure if she really senses it, or if it's just a remainder of his reiatsu from him being there.

Matsumoto stared at her captain's back for a moment longer before sighing inwardly and standing. _Oh well. If it was important to anything, he would have informed us by now._ She dusted off the borrowed baggy shirt and sweatpants Orihime gave her, deciding that staying up here while Toushirou won't say anything is pointless and a waste of time…

…besides, Orihime said she was going to make cookies and she much rather wait for them down there, instead of up here with her icy-taichou who refuses to give her any answers.

Pouting again, Matsumoto placed her hands on her hips and eyed Toushirou one last time before she left. "Fine taichou. If you want to be mean and not answer my questions, then I'll go." She paused for a moment and sighed. "But…if you do want to, then you know where I am…"

With that said, the big-busted woman turned and from the way she came, left and silence was back on the roof.

And Hitsugaya, still lying in his position on the ground, gave a small sigh. Once he could sense Matsumoto's reiatsu back inside the apartment complex, he rolled over to where he was lying on his back, arms under his head, and staring up at the sky.

"_But…if you do want to, then you know where I am…"_

_I don't need any help with this._ He thought, eyes closing in frustration. He can handle it. Besides, there's nothing even for him to need help with. It's just a simple soul that is refusing to be taken to soul society until they do what they need to do, and as soon as she's done just that, she'll leave.

No questions asked, no loose ends, no arguing, end of story. He won't have to worry about dealing with her, or her frustrating personality. He frowned. _Why did I even let her stay in the first place? _

_She suddenly looked up at him with a soft, sad smile. "Please just let me do that. Then I will go…no questions asked. No arguments…no fight. Just let me remain here a bit longer."_

The memory made him inwardly sigh. _Right…that's why._ Toushirou sat back up. Leaning back on his arms he looked up at the large moon overhead. _Sometimes I think I've gotten too soft…_

In the past, he would have just ignored the soul and her pleas to send her off to soul society, easily forgetting her later on and just continuing his way.

Now though…

He blinked. _What changed?_ He's not too sure anymore, the whole situation with Aizen and the arrancar has just messed everything up.

Toushirou's eyes strayed back down to the roof, looking off to the side where the girl was sitting from him earlier, glaring, asking, and then looking amazed all in a span of a few minutes. He smirked. _At least she's amusing._

He has to admit that while dealing with her is annoying—it's better than just having nothing else to do except the boring job of defeating weak hollows and acting as a guard dog for a city full of spiritually aware humans—caught up in something most are not even aware exist.

_So maybe that's why._ He wondered, thinking back to their interaction. When she glared at him for surprising her, to completely change from anger to wonder and amazement in a matter of seconds at the fact he just used some of his own reiatsu to keep a tab on her. _She acts as if she's never seen anyone do that before…_

He trailed off, and then blinked again in shock when he suddenly realized that, that maybe what he thought was actually true. Maybe she _hasn't_ seen anyone do that with their reiatsu before.

Even though any Shinigami with any amount of control can do this, she said throughout the time she's been a spirit, she's tend to stay away from Shinigami—and in result, never seen something like reiatsu being used as some kind of tracking beacon.

She's also apparently never tried it herself with her own reiatsu. So it could explain her actions.

She looked almost childlike in her amazement. Her eyes were wide and aglow as she stared at her wrist, confused. And when she stared down at the band of reiatsu, she was smiling brightly, lightly touching it with her finger as if afraid she'd be burned by it.

He almost snorted at the thought. His reiatsu? Burn someone? Freeze is more like it…maybe freezing to the point they break into pieces, or gain frostbite, or feel like they are being burned, but not _actually_ burn. No, never burn.

But she acted like she would be, till she actually touched it, finally realized she wouldn't be hurt, and continued her childish actions of even placing her hand over it, grinning when she saw the result of frost on her hand.

She seemed…almost happy. Overjoyed even.

Hitsugaya leaned back a bit more, so he was leaning on his elbows now. _It's a change from how she's looked the other times I've seen her._ He's seen her mad, serious, mocking, even sad…but the new change she had was puzzling.

Which is why her sudden change again to the sullen disposition she had when she left is also frustrating. How could she change attitudes so quickly? Even Matsumoto can't changer her mood that quick—and the woman has been known to be pretty quick with her attitude, especially if it's for something she wants.

So how could have Kagome gone from happy…to sad just like that?

Toushirou was quiet then, sitting up with a conflicted expression on his face. His eyes went back to the spot where Kagome was, up to the sky, and back to the spot.

Then with another small-frustrated sigh through his teeth, Toushirou stood up from his spot, furiously ruffled his hair in annoyance and popped a soul candy into his mouth.

With a flash of white and feeling of normalcy, Toushirou ordered the gikongan to stay put, hid his reiatsu, and took off to the air using flash step, following after the small but easily (to him anyway) findable trace of his reiatsu and the soul it was connected to.

As he left, he never noticed Matsumoto looking out the window of Orihime's apartment and watching him go.

**. . .**

He followed the trace of his reiatsu to a large building at the edge of one part of town, where it overlooked the river and could have a good view of the area of town it was in, and found the soul he was looking for, sitting at the edge of the particular building. Her legs were hanging over the edge and lightly waving back in forth, while she leaned forward and placed her chin in her hands.

Jumping down from the air after he spotted her, Toushirou landed a few feet away behind the girl with nothing but a small flutter of his shihakushō.

"Ah, so…you found me."

Surprised that she spoke, or even knew he was coming since he hid his reiatsu and was quiet, Toushirou who was about to make his presence known, blinked. "How did you sense me…I masked—."

"your reiatsu?" finished the girl, leaning back so much that she was able to stare at him upside down almost like he did to her earlier, her bangs falling down from her face and revealing her forehead and eyes as she gazed at him with sad blue. "I can still sense reiatsu even if it's masked to a degree…especially reiatsu I've become familiar with." She gave him a pointed look before sitting back up, her back to him again.

She waved her hand off to the side suddenly. "And it doesn't help that you have a large amount of reiryoku. I sensed you coming from about half a mile away."

"You're one to talk." He retorted, referring to her own crazy amount of spiritual pressure. He's not sure how big it is exactly, but from the times he's been there to sense it released—as small and quick it was—he could tell she has a large amount herself. The fact that she can kill large hollows with one shot is just proving that point.

"I am, aren't I?" she whispered for some reason. But if she was referring to her own amount of reiryoku or something else on her mind, he can't say. "I always am…" a small, humorless chuckle escaped her lips. "Such a hypocrite."

Silence fell over them after her comment and not knowing what to say, Toushirou quickly looked off to the side, wondering why he came here in the first place. _What was I thinking?_ He thought, eyes looking around for something, anything to get him out of this sudden awkward situation. _Why am I even here—?_

"So why'd you come?" spoke up Kagome from her spot, unknowingly asking the very thing he was wondering himself. She didn't look back at him, but from the way her head was turned slightly to the side, he could tell that she wasn't completely ignoring him either.

_That's what I would like to know myself._ Hitsugaya wondered, running a hand through his hair and holding in the urge to sigh. His eyes darted left then right, inwardly hoping for something to come and get him out of here. _Why can't a hollow appear when you need them?_

"Well?" at the annoyed tone, he looked back to see that Kagome had turned her body completely to face him, blue eyes narrowed at his unresponsiveness.

Seeing that she was waiting for a reply and that no hollow was going to save him he said the first thing that came to mind. "What were you thinking, going after and helping those kids? What if while you were killing the hollows you were found out?"

And realized a bit too late, that from Kagome's eyes narrowing further into slits and the angered gleam appearing in her eyes, that what he said was _exactly_ the wrong thing to say. _At least she doesn't have that sad look to her anymore. _He mused, trying to make better of the situation than it really was.

"What…was…I…thinking?" questioned Kagome, not moving from where she sat, but staring at him with a glare. "I was helping those kids. I couldn't let them get hurt—."

"No, but you still could have been found out." Replied Toushirou. He knows he's probably making the situation worse but he won't back off and allow Kagome to think she can do anything she wants while she's here. He told her specific rules she must follow to be allowed to stay here, and she broke one and could have another.

"I was careful!" spoke up Kagome, planting her feet firmly on the ground from where she sat. From the looks of things, she too wasn't going to back off. "I made sure to keep my reiatsu under control and hidden!"

He narrowed his own eyes. "And what of the hollows? You were hidden, but the hollows weren't. What if another Shinigami was near and sensed the hollow—."

"I took care of them!" shouted Kagome, her hands flashing blue with her reiatsu and lighting up the area.

In response to her reiatsu flare, the air around them chilled by a few degrees—thanks to Toushirou. It wasn't a great change, but it was enough that it made goose bumps appear on her skin and stop herself in mid-yell, knowing that from his actions, Toushirou was _not_ happy at her outburst towards him.

Pulling back from the fight, Kagome reigned in her reiatsu. When the glow surrounding her hands and lighting up the area vanished she sighed and brought her hand up to her head, feeling suddenly tired. _This is stupid._ She thought, realizing that being angry with each other over a petty and ridiculous argument was idiotic. She shivered at the cold that still covered them. And snapping at Toushirou and making things worse, doesn't help.

She's had too many things like this happen in the past and has come to learn that the simple thing to do in these kinds of situations is to just drop it if you can't win. And in this fight, she can't. It'll just be a never-ending argument that'll probably end up having her being chased around and possibly ending up in soul society.

With those thoughts in mind, Kagome turned back to Toushirou, sighing as his narrow turquoise eyes glared at her. She looked down. "…I made sure that none of them were around long enough for that to happen." Kagome let out a breath that looked like a cloud of steam with the decreasing temperature. "I did as you said. I didn't let anyone else see me, and even if it was 'stupid' I was smart about it and killed them all. It's over now. Forget it."

She closed her eyes, and any anger left her completely as she turned back around to stare out towards the city again, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on her knees. "The kids are gone. They're in soul society and won't even remember this. So drop it."

It was silent, but the temperature slowly went back to normal as Kagome refused to look back, and Toushirou stared at her.

It was then that he opened his mouth to speak—no longer angry—but still needing to tell her that no, it's not over and she needs to listen to him if she wishes to remain hidden from the others and _safe_, though that all stopped when he saw that Kagome was back to her sad disposition. He closed his mouth. Great. He's already made it worse.

Scratching the side of his head lightly, Toushirou eyed the soul. What does he do now? Leave? _Leaving sounds good._ He reasoned. _But then, things will only be even worse._

He still has to deal with her for a while—may as well try to make it as least painful as possible. And continuously annoying one another isn't going to do them any good. "Look…" he started, only to falter when nothing else came to mind.

"Did you come here to just pester me? Cause if you did, you can just leave." This time Kagome made no move to show she was listening to him. She just continued to stare in front of her.

Eyebrow twitching, Toushirou gritted his teeth. "No, I came here to—."

"Obviously you did, if the first thing you said was 'what were you thinking—.' "

"I came to see why you are doing what you are doing!" interrupted Hitsugaya. Shocked, Kagome finally quieted, and he took it as his chance to speak before she thought of something to interrupt him again. "So, why are you doing this? Why are you even here?" she tensed at his last statement, but he continued. "You don't want to be here right, so why are you refusing to leave?"

Kagome remained tense but finally turned to look at him, eyes wide in shock. "How…did you know?"

Toushirou placed a hand to his forehead, exasperated. "How could I not?"

Even though his answer was not a pretty good, at least he didn't think it was, Kagome actually smiled. she turned back around to face him, still curled up in a small ball and leaning her cheek on her knees but no longer looking sad, instead looking like she was back to normal.

Her face was facing slightly to the side, yet her eyes were looking at him as she spoke. "…I stay here not because I entirely want to, but because I have to."

She was evading answering him. Toushirou narrowed his eyes again at the soul. "And what reason is that?"

Kagome gave him a grin, a secretive grin that revealed nothing and everything to him at the same time. "To set something in motion."

Toushirou's eyebrow rose at the not so informative answer, knowing that she still was evading telling him outright what it was she needs to do, even though she did technically answer his question. "Set something in motion?"

Kagome nodded and closed her eyes, humming a small bit. She wrapped her arms around her legs and raised her head back up so she could properly stare at him. "Yep. The reason I am here is for that and that alone." She added cryptically.

Silence fell over them again and Hitsugaya inwardly sighed, more confused than ever concerning this soul and her way of doing things.

Does she have to be so confusing? Why can't she just tell him outright what she needs to do? He may be able to help her get it done faster! _Then I won't have to deal with this anymore._

He shifted his stance and after a look up towards the sky, decided he should head back before things could get worse. Anyway, Kagome seems back to normal and he doesn't think it wise or healthy to deal with her longer than he should have to.

Toushirou turned to do just that but was stopped by Kagome speaking. "Thank you."

Curious and still slightly confused, Toushirou turned and looked behind him at Kagome. When their eyes met, she grinned at him with embarrassment. "For helping the kid souls." She explained. "I…never got to thank you properly for helping them cross over." She sighed and leaned forward, tightening her grip on her arms. "I just…left. Without saying anything. But I'm grateful that you performed the konso."

She looked back to him. "I'm glad they will be safer there..." moisture was at the edges of her eyes now, but she wiped it away before it could fall. "I guess I got attached to them. Funny huh? Considering I know they won't remember Me." she laughed lightly at the irony. "I think it's because it's been awhile… since I've been considered a sister to anyone…"

Kagome trailed off in thought, and not knowing what to say, Hitsugaya looked back forward, intending to leave Kagome to her thoughts—but at the last moment, paused and looked back to the quiet girl, his own expression thoughtful and if not a bit hesitant. "You…will always be their sister…even if they don't remember, you do."

Shocked at his words, Kagome looked up to say something to him—but just like she did to him the first time they met, Toushirou was already up in the air and gone before she could say a word.

So instead of speaking, her mouth closed and her eyes lifted to the sky, watching as the white blur of Toushirou slowly vanished from her sight.

When she could no longer see or sense him, Kagome looked back down, her right hand going to her left hand where his reiatsu was placed around her wrist, lightly touched it with her fingers, and smiled.

_Thank you._

* * *

**Reviews are loved, flames stared at, and advice appreciated! Until next chapter!**


	6. C A U S E 2

**Disclaimer**: this is fan-fiction, and as much as I would like to say I own something, I don't. So yeah, I own nothing. Nothing!

* * *

**CAUSE 2: Not So Alone**

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"Speaking/thinking inside flashback"  
_Thinking/small flashback_  
'Actions/**actions**'  
**""hollow speaking""**

* * *

She was able to realize something that day

"_I...guess I'm not so alone."_

* * *

Humming a little tune as she walked across the large brick wall on the side of the road while cars and people passed, Kagome couldn't help the small smile on her face—feeling for some reason in a long time, weightless.

It was as if a heavy chain was lifted off of her body, allowing her to actually move around and do what she wants—no matter how much that wasn't true, since she had to follow rules, and couldn't do all that she wanted, but it's as best as it's going to get for her.

Might as well use it to her advantage for as long as she can right?

_But, why I'm feeling this way is confusing. _Thought the dead girl, pausing in her actions—one leg in the air in front of her as if she kicked something and her hands behind her back. _I've tried thinking why I'm feeling free…but can't think of anything._

Her blue eyes blinked once, twice then she dropped her leg and turned to the side so she was facing the people and road to her left, instead of the wall she was previously walking on. _Maybe it's because it's a nice day today? _She wondered, looking up at the clear blue sky.

When no happiness came from the fluffy white clouds or blue sky above, she sighed and dejectedly dropped down, sitting cross-legged on the brick wall.

_It's…been so long since I've felt this happy…so now when I am feeling it, I can't find the reason onto why._ She huffed. Kagome moved her arms to her sides and uncrossed her legs. _Maybe something I did earlier?_

Blue eyes blinked again. Her legs waved back and forth as she mulled over the sudden thought. _Maybe that was it. Something I did earlier. But what? _When she came up with nothing, Kagome blew a piece of stray hair out of her face and looked down.

Flickering caught her eye and Kagome stopped, turning to the source. Then with confusion lifted her wrist up to look at the reiatsu placed on her wrist, and stared.

And after a minute or two—it flickered again. She frowned. _Not again…it's been doing that all day. _It's been flickering every so often and she doesn't know how to make it stop or what it means.

_I guess I'll have to ask Toushirou when I see him. Whenever that is. _She thought, unconsciously tilting her head and looking passed all the people passing her by, unaware of even her presence as they went on with their undeniably short lives.

Making a living that when they die will be for nothing. Even if all the money they make goes to their friends and family—it's all for nothing, because in the end, it's all going to be lost. Everything they did will be forgotten and lost in the pages of life, slowly fading like lost memories…

Kagome let her hand drop down._ But…in the end…that's all they are right? Fading memories of a time people believe to now be just a fairy tale—when if just one mistake was made could end all of this today._ She mused, her earlier happiness fading at the bring up of such a sad truth and leaving only a sense of melancholy.

Sighing, she caught her reflection in the window of the store across from her and stared, taking in the transparent appearance and pale complexion that came with being dead.

If there's one thing she's realized while being a soul stuck on earth, it's that life is short. So unbelievably and horribly short.

An amused smile appeared on her face. _It's ironic that it took my death and so many others for me to realize it._

After she died and the years passed—people she loved grew older and older and older, while she, already dead but unable to pass on remained the same, young 15 year old girl she was when she died—it was horrible.

Watching as they aged. Seeing each day on their faces a new age line, a grey hair, the way they seemed to shrink each moment…how soon that while it seemed like a blink of the eye to her, it was really years and they could no longer see her.

Then she was left alone for another couple of years, at least, until she could be seen again, but then she hated it. Hated that she was seen again.

It meant they were on their deathbed. She would be at their bedside for days, watching over them, making sure they were as comfortable they could be, but then when they looked at her, glossy eyed and so, so _pale_—calling out to her with happy love filled greetings and everyday hellos.

She felt like dying again.

Because the next moment, they always took that last breath and the next thing she knew, she was facing them as a fellow soul until they moved on and she repeated the process all over again.

She really, truly, hated it. And herself. At those times back then, she was so happy to be found again, but at the same time, so angry that she was being that selfish. How could she feel any sort of happiness from the fact that they were dying—or dead?

Sighing for a second time, Kagome quickly shook her head, trying to get rid of the painful thoughts. That's all in the past.

_It doesn't really matter anymore anyway…_ she thought, looking down at her clasped hands. _It's over and done with…_

"Hey! Come on, we'll be late for school if you don't hurry!"

"Ah, I'm coming! I'm coming! Just—ah—hold on-a minute!"

Attention caught, Kagome's blue gaze was torn from her hands, and up towards the crowd where she heard the yells come from.

The source for the yells were two girls, their age the same as she appeared—15—both were wearing a grey and white school uniform and looking like they were in a hurry, if the fact that the short-haired girl in the front was pulling the other by the arm as she flailed around and tried to put her things in her bag.

"We can't hold on! School's going to start in a few minutes! Do you want to be late?" asked the first girl, looking back at her friend as she pulled the orange-brown haired girl with her. "Come _on_ Orihime! We need to go!"

"R-Right Tatsuki!" the girl—now identified as Orihime yelled back, now having her things organized before she took off with her dark haired friend—Tatsuki she called her.

Kagome watched them go, a soft smile on her face. When they were completely gone from her sight, Kagome straightened herself and leaned forward, placing her chin in her hands. She remembers when she did something similar to that—hurrying to rush to school, trying to make sure she had everything as she ran to get there on time—the times she would cram all night for a test…

…and she misses it.

She misses the annoyance of school time, when she would look at the clock every chance she got to see how much longer she would have to remain in the boring class. Then as soon as the bell rang, she missed how she would stand up from her seat and hurry to leave like the rest of the people around her.

Sure, after she went to the feudal era that kind of changed. Instead of waiting for the bell to ring, she would curse it for not giving her enough time for her tests, to catch up, and instead of watching the clock every chance she got, she slept…but it was the fact that she could do that is what she misses.

She misses her friends that were there too. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi…even Hojo, despite the fact he couldn't take a hint of 'I don't like you that way but we still can be friends'.

_I wish…I could do that again._

She does. She really wishes she could go back to school; see her friends…be so carefree. _See my friends, talk with them…talk with other people, and interact. _

Just be not so alone anymore—

—she suddenly felt a small chill appear on her chin and quickly sat up straight, moving her hands away to wipe at the cold that startled her with her right hand. When she pulled her hand back, she blinked when she saw the remnants of what looked like frost on her fingers before it melted and the cold water slid down her fingers and pooled into her palm.

_Where did—. _She stopped herself and looked down towards her left wrist where the small thing of light blue reiatsu was attached. Lifting her wrist closer to her so she could inspect the reiatsu better, she touched it with the tips of her fingers as it flickered again. "Well." she reconsidered, "I...guess I'm not so alone. There's Toushirou after all."

She can't believe she forgot about Chibi-taichou for a moment. But…it's been so long since she's properly spoken to anyone…she doesn't know if she should really consider him as anything. Does she call him friend? Guardian? Jailer? Evil mean short white haired soul reaper that refuses to let her leave this town? _I personally like the last one…_ She thought amusedly, watching as the reiatsu moved over and around her fingers almost like silk and bringing a strange sense of calm over her. _But still…_

Should she try to place him in any category that soon, will probably be broken? Should she try to consider him anything than just a soul reaper, when there's that big possibility he'll just end up leaving again like everyone else she's come to know?

Should she risk it? Even though there's that big chance that soon, like her family, her friends, he'll just leave and she'll be back to being alone?

Kagome stared down at Toushirou's reiatsu. _He said that he'll be keeping an eye on me till I can do what I need to…but things like that…they are so easily broken._

"_Kagome…damn it! Kagome! why'd it have to be you…why..." watering golden orbs gazed into her own shimmering blue and a blood spattered clawed hand reached towards the place her body lay. "You promised me you wouldn't! You promised me, damn it, you promised that you wouldn't!"_

**. . .**

_A familiar clawed hand raised and cupped her cold cheek as she cried and cried over the dead body of her friend. "Why…how come?" she sobbed, crying harder and gripping the red haori of the hanyou that wrapped his arms around her transparent body with his own. "You...promised. You promised me you wouldn't let me get hurt again…but you lied…right now, I'm hurting because you didn't listen."_

"_I'm sorry Kagome."_

She's learned that first hand. She's had to break a few herself, and had to deal with the pain that came when promises made to her were shattered. And when they usually can, they will be.

So, is it wise to really attempt to categorize Toushirou as anything but a soul reaper? If she does, it means she's accepting that she knows him, gotten used to him being around, that he means something—even if it's just a guardian or jailer—to her.

Does she really want to chance it?

_After all._ Kagome's blue eyes lowered. _Something may happen and he'll just leave despite what he says and I'll be by myself once again._

She'll be fine by herself. She always had been—but, if she could, she wouldn't choose to have to end up being on her own. It's painful.

And right now…Toushirou is the only person she's been able to properly speak to in years…it's the first time that she's _actually_ been able to interact with someone that wasn't a soul she was sending off, or a hollow she needed to kill—but someone, while being a soul reaper, she could talk to—

_No, what the hell am I thinking?_ She shook her head again and frowned at herself for being so weak. _I…I'm just acting like an idiot…it doesn't even matter anyway! I don't know why I'm even thinking about this!_

If...anything. It's better. If…if Toushirou ends up leaving her on her own then she should be happy! It means she won't have to follow anymore of his rules. She'll be able to go back to Tokyo and wait till she can act, and then after go to soul society!

_It's…better._

Even as she thought this though, she couldn't help but feel the 'what ifs' and the small pang that came with the knowledge that there's always that chance she'll be cast into the shadow's like the pages of her life and what she did, again.

Kagome's gaze once again was brought back to the reiatsu placed on her wrist, and a conflicted look on her face due to the fact that for some reason, she's unwillingly to just let things go. _But…maybe…_

When she removed her hand from the reiatsu and looked at it, her hand was covered in a paper thin coat of glimmering ice that in the sunlight looked like it glowed.

"_You…will always be their sister…even if they don't remember, you do."_

Toushirou's a little cold and doesn't talk much. He gets irritated easily and doesn't like people calling him short. But, at the same time…he has a nice side to him sometimes. He didn't have to let her stay and didn't have to listen to her when she asked him to take Yasuo and Natsuko to soul society.

He definitely didn't have to come and check up on her. But he did, even if it was to just yell at her. In the end, he helped cheer her up. _So…_

A smile appeared on her face at that. _Maybe…I should just see how things go._

The ice on her hand slowly started to melt and vanish, but Kagome wasn't concerned. she just kept smiling, sitting there on the wall with her hand in front of her, and a small amount of hope in her heart—that maybe, just maybe if she just sees how things progress, whether or not they become friends, or just stay as soul reaper and soul…she may not have to be completely alone for the remainder of time she's here after all.

**. . .**

She doesn't know how long she stayed on that wall, just thinking, but she did know that by the time she was done thinking and jumped off the wall that the sullen attitude she felt was gone—to be replaced with a small happiness at her decision.

It's probably unwise…she'll probably suffer from it later, but right now, she should use it to her advantage, use her own earlier advice.

Toushirou is the only person she's been able to speak to in a while, so she should just be happy that she has someone to speak to—even if he may not want to speak to her. Right?

Anyway, in a few months she won't remember any of this—so if she happens to end up hurt and alone, she'll only remember it for a couple months at the most, before she leaves and forgets everything as she heads to soul society.

So, in a way—it's good. She's protected.

With those thoughts in mind and a more joyful outlook on things, Kagome wondered down the street, not sure where she was going or why, but needing to walk and get rid of the restlessness she felt from sitting on the wall for who knows how long.

It's a side effect from her time spent in feudal era and being here as long as she has. As time has gone on, she's gotten into the habit of not staying in one place too long—always moving, always changing where she stayed.

She never was in the same place too many times—well except for one place but she's always felt compelled to go there time to time—otherwise though, she's always been on the move.

She's sure she's seen every inch, every bit of Tokyo since she's been dead—and she doesn't just mean its building and change over the years.

She's also been to a few other cities, around and close to Tokyo, to just walk and travel to see a different surrounding.

Karakura town though, is too far from Tokyo that she never came here before, or really even heard of it.

The only reason why she came this far away from her home was because of the damn hollow she was chasing. It appeared in Tokyo months earlier, attempting to devour the souls there. She was able to save the souls and stop the hollow, but when she turned to kill it, it was always gone and she wasn't willing to go after it. she hoped that the resident Shinigami, bum as he maybe, would actually go after it himself instead of sitting around on his ass all day picking his nose and half-heartedly sending souls away when she sent them to him.

But he didn't and the whole cat and mouse game continued—that was, until the hollow devoured a soul.

Then she got mad and decided she'll go after the damn thing herself! And she did.

But the whole chase lasted five days and when she finally was able to catch up and hunt it down—it was way too far from Tokyo that she would have hoped, and then the whole meeting Toushirou thing happened.

That leads her to now.

_I just hope that loser Shinigami is finally doing his job. I know Tokyo doesn't get that many hollows and a lot of them—except for the one I hunted down that was a bit stronger than normal—are weak but still. I was the one that mostly did the hollow hunting._ She nervously bit her lip. _I can only pray that he's finally doing his job instead of lazing around. And that when I return, things will still be okay. _

She's been the unofficial protector of Tokyo for so long, that now she feels almost responsible for its well-being, and the people that reside in it. Her hands suddenly fisted. _and I swear, when I return, if that town isn't normal, before I do what I need to, I will hunt down that loser Shinigami, maim him, and make him wish that somehow, nose picking will be able to save him from my wrath—._

Her thoughts were interrupted thought when the sound of a large bell went off to her right. Surprised, Kagome jumped, summoned reiatsu to her hands and turned towards the noise all in one motion, expecting an attack.

But when she saw that that the ring only came from a large building across the street from her position—she slumped back down, embarrassed at herself for easily getting shocked.

Reiatsu vanishing from her hands, Kagome turned towards the building fully and gazed up at the sign hanging from the top of the building. _Karakura…high…school. _She read. Her head tilted. _This must be the school those girls were running towards…_

She blinked up at the grey building, finding nothing remotely interesting about it. It looked like every other school building to her, with the blank slate of colors and design. _But wait…_ her eyes narrowed, sensing something…strange. _Now that I'm actually focusing on it…I think I can sense large amounts of reiatsu in there._

How can that be though? Humans being able to release their reiatsu while alive? That can't be. (Though she is one to speak, since after all she shouldn't be able to do what she can either, but hey, at least she's dead!) They could be descendants of miko or monks…but their powers shouldn't be awoken and she'd just fill a small pull…nothing like this.

Because she can also feel _Shinigami_.

She can't tell too well since all the reiatsu of them are clashed together and mixing, but she knows there's at least 4-5 Shinigami at this school she can feel and even more, smaller amounts of other reiatsu.

_I stand by my point. This town is weird. _Kagome nibbled on her lip, thinking. _Should I check it out? I got nothing better to do._

Kagome stared up at the school. It wouldn't hurt right? As long as she's careful and avoids the people that she can sense having reiatsu…she'll be able to stay hidden and out of their sights.

Besides…it's been a while since she's seen a high school, it'll probably be pretty cool to see one up close again.

The raven-haired soul stared at the school for just a moment longer before making her decision, crossed the street, and walked onto the school grounds.

* * *

**Reviews are loved, flames stared at, and advice appreciated! Until next chapter!**


	7. Battle of the Wills

**Disclaimer**: this is fan-fiction, and as much as I would like to say I own something, I don't. So yeah, I own nothing. Nothing!

* * *

**Encounter 5: Battle of the Wills**

* * *

"Speaking/thinking inside flashback"  
_Thinking/small flashback_  
'Actions/**actions**'  
**""hollow speaking""**

* * *

The fifth encounter…was the first real, actual argument they had that stung the both of them afterwards.

"_If you don't want to listen to me and get caught. It doesn't matter to me. Do whatever you want." _

* * *

When she walked through the building, she wasn't at all surprised at the way the school looked.

All schools seem to be the same, no matter where they are, or when they were built. Blank hallways, scuffed up floors from years of use and being walked on, windows that seemed to be everywhere you looked, and what always seemed to be millions of doors that lead to classrooms and other rooms.

So once she took it in she smiled at the wave of familiarity that ran through her at that moment. _It's almost like my school back in Tokyo…_

Of course, not everything was the same, the building structure was different, and the style of some of the design was also different—but the basics of it were the same and that's really all that mattered to her.

And she currently was in front of the entrance, standing in the middle of the school hallway that led into two different directions.

Kagome looked left then right and grinned. _So…which way should I go first?_

Her eyes scanned the two directions a few more times, a look of thought on her face. _Hmm…_ she looked back towards the right, then with a shrug, started heading down it. _Guess it doesn't really matter too much. Either way, I'll be seeing the whole school anyway. _

But as she walked down the hallway, Kagome absentmindedly lifted up her hand and placed it on the wall as she walked, eyebrows furrowing when she noticed that she couldn't hear or even see anyone around, when at least, even if class was in session, she should see one or two students around. _It is a school day…I saw those two girls running like a demon was at their heels. So I wonder where everyone is. They can't be out already. Because even though faint, I can sense reiatsu around…_

"So…where's everyone?" when there was no answer to her question, Kagome fell completely silent. She took another right when she came to the end of the hallway she was in, but as soon as she was halfway through it, it was almost as if she walked through a barrier because she was able to hear voices. Many voices.

She stopped and turned her head towards the direction it was coming from. There was another hallway to her left, and all the way at the end of said hallway was a set of simple blue double doors.

Curious, Kagome walked closer to the door, the voices getting louder and louder the closer she got until she was right in front of the doors. Tiptoeing, Kagome lifted her short frame up to the circular window and looked inside, blinking when she saw a large room—a cafeteria she can see now—and in it, a lot of uniform clad teenagers all talking animatedly with each other and just hanging out.

Kagome shook her head then, backing down and away from the door and scratching the side of her head, sheepish that she couldn't have figured it out sooner for herself. "Well, that explains the emptiness of this place…it must be lunchtime."

It'd also explain the bell and why it suddenly went off—it was signaling the sign for the break.

_There's…one mystery solved…_ mused the dead girl, her face gaining a small satisfied gleam from her finding. _But…I still want to find out where the reiatsu is coming from._

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows and her eyes drifted back to the double doors in front of her. Now that she's in the building…she should be able to properly sense where and who all the reiatsu is coming from.

She couldn't earlier because it all was clashed and mixed together in the large building, making it much harder to identify one from one another. Now though, since she's inside the building with them, she'll be able to pick one reiatsu out from another because she's up close.

And she's going to do just that. Her eyes closed and Kagome focused, taking in all the reiatsu around and where it was all coming from.

She can now confidently say there are nine beings here that hold reiatsu. Five of which are Shinigami, and the other four…well they just have high reiatsu…

_Where are they all coming from though?_ focusing a bit more so she could pinpoint where they were exactly, Kagome kept her eyes closed and went still, determined to use the Reiraku to locate them through the mess of people. _Then I'll leave._ at first, she was thinking about looking around the school before she left…but now with the finding that there are actually 5 Shinigami here…she doesn't think she should take a chance. _It's sad…but I can come back when nobody is here and explore._

Even if seeing the people would be fun, as long as the shinigami are around they might see her and one, or more will probably try to send her off. Plus, with five here at the moment—she's greatly outnumbered. Escaping will be hard, maybe even impossible if they can get her in their tracks. Or worse, team up.

With those thoughts, Kagome stopped thinking and went back to her focusing. Seconds later, the area around her shifted and it looked as if a bunch of long ribbons came out of nowhere—leaving Kagome surrounded by the waving energy, five of which were red and all the others, white.

Smiling, Kagome slowly reached out her hand and in her mind's eye, she suddenly saw each red ribbon tug and move, now leading somewhere.

Three of the Shinigami were somewhere off to the far right inside the cafeteria, another outside and sitting with two of the other people she sensed had high reiatsu…and the last…was above her…probably on the roof—

—wait. Kagome's eyes shot open, breaking up the Reiraku and making it vanish, leaving Kagome standing tense in shock, her hand held out towards nothing and mouth agape.

She _knows_ that reiatsu. There's no way she could forget it easily, it's been the reiatsu she's gotten used to, the reiatsu she has around her wrist currently. "N-No way…can't be…why? Why the hell would he be here?"

It's impossible. Crazy. Not even possible. It…has to be some kind of mistake. Right?

If he was here, she should have been able to sense him far before she walked into this building. She hates to admit it, but she practically knows his reiatsu by heart, having gotten used to it by now. A result of having some of his reiatsu around her wrist constantly.

There's no way she could have missed it until now. Even with all the other reiatsu around, she would have been able to sense his. _Maybe he's wearing a gigai? It does suppress his reiatsu a bit._ If that's the case, then it would explain why she wasn't able to sense him till she focused with the other reiatsu around and messing up her senses. _Or maybe…it's not really him and I'm just finally going crazy. That's a more likely situation. __After all, why would he have to be here of all places? _

Blinking, Kagome dumbly looked up at the ceiling.

Then, like a bullet—she turned and ran, following the imprint of where she apparently senses his reiatsu come from and lead to find the way up to the roof—and to make sure she's not just hallucinating and he_ really_ is here.

**. . .**

_What was that?_

Matsumoto blinked and looked up from her current conversation, suddenly feeling an unknown reiatsu tug at her senses—but then like nothing it was gone.

The big-busted woman blinked and turned towards the door that led towards the hallways, confused. _This feeling again…_ she felt like this yesterday, a few minutes after she saw Toushirou leave. It felt like there was another person with him, but she couldn't be positive because as soon as she felt it, it quickly vanished.

It was surprising and left her admittedly worried because as soon as she thought she sensed the unknown reiatsu flare—her captain's followed in response.

She was almost tempted to leave her gigai and follow—but when the unknown reiatsu vanished and Hitsugaya's was all that remained, she stopped, thinking that maybe if there really was an unknown reiatsu, Toushirou was able to deal with whatever he was dealing with.

But now…that feeling is back. The reiatsu is no longer here…but she _swears_ she felt it just now—

"Matsumoto? Hey! What's up with you?"

An irritated voice interrupted the ginger-haired woman's thoughts and she turned annoyed blue-grey towards the bald idiot that was currently staring at her, also annoyed. "What Ikkaku?"

The battle-crazy man snorted and adjusted the wooden sword he held on his shoulders. "You weren't paying attention!"

"Yes…is something wrong?" asked Yumichika from his place to her right. "You suddenly seemed… distracted… and it's most unbecoming."

Waving off any of their comments, Matsumoto turned her eyes away from the door. "No. I'm fine." with that, the woman went back to their discussion—but couldn't help shake off the feeling that's been bugging her since yesterday night.

Something is up with Toushirou and whatever it is, must have to do with whatever she's been feeling—and no matter what it takes, she'll find out just what it is.

Even if it risks a week's worth of sake to do so!

**. . .**

She made it to the roof in record time and without pausing to think of her actions, phased through the door—momentarily ignoring her disgust of doing that, even after all the times she's had to do it in the past.

There are just some things that no matter how much you do them can't get used to it.

Right as she phased through the door and was coming out on the other side though did she finally have a pause in thought, realizing _just a bit too late_ that she could be walking right into a Shinigami that wasn't Toushirou—even as unlikely as that may be. Everyone has their own reiatsu and it's impossible for multiple people to share one…it's like a fingerprint that way.

but it didn't stop her from squeaking in surprise as she tried to retreat in her actions anyway, to move back and hide so she could check this time around—but gravity wasn't on her side as she was unable to stop herself and ended up phasing completely through the door, falling to the floor in a unceremonious heap.

…_hell…_ was the first thought that ran through Kagome's mind when she finally recovered from the fall, moaning lightly and wishing just so much she could have thought of all that sooner—because dead or not, if you get hurt, you feel the pain.

Which means that currently, her entire body hurts.

It was then she heard shifting come from someplace in front of her and froze. _Oh…that's right…_ she's not alone up here is she? With some apprehension on her face, Kagome lifted up her head from the ground so she could stare at the other person.

Shocked turquoise met her nervous blue and Kagome blinked, staring at the snow-haired taichou with a blank expression on her face.

It _was_ Toushirou. _Which is good._ She wondered, slowly getting up from her fallen position so she could sit up, using her arms in front of her as support but never looking away from the captain. _It means I'm not finally going crazy or hallucinating after all these years._

Now sitting up, Kagome looked back to the Shinigami. Toushirou did the same, but instead of yelling at her like she half expected he would once he realized it was her—he was silent, and for some reason, still shocked at her appearance. _But why?_ Why is he so shocked at her being here…it's not like she's never seen him before, or it's the first time they met. She's known him for what, a little over a week? Less?

Confusion etched itself on the dead girl's face, not sure onto why the Shinigami Chibi-taichou was staring at her the way he was.

But that was until she noticed the lack of his Shinigami uniform. Instead of being his normal Shinigami self and wearing the shihakushō and his captain haori, he was in a gigai again and wearing modern clothes…

…_uniform_ clothes. _School uniform_ clothes. It was the male version to the uniform she saw those two girls wearing as they ran to this school.

Kagome blinked. Toushirou…was wearing a _school_ uniform…a high school uniform.

He...was currently in a gigai...and going to a school.

_Toushirou's going to school. _

Kagome felt her lips twitch upwards, followed by the small shaking of her frame that soon and within seconds, turned out into full-blown laughter as she gripped her sides and tried to stay upright as she laughed at the situation.

_Toushirou! Going to school as a regular teenager when he's anything but!_

_T-This is too much!_ Unable to control herself, Kagome leaned forward and wrapped her arms completely around her sides, laughing and trying to get air into her lungs. _B-big bad Shinigami captain—g-going to school—as a—as a—!_ Kagome was unable to finish that thought, eyes watering as more sets of giggles hit her.

From in front of her, where Toushirou was frozen in shock, said Shinigami suddenly shook his head, her laughing knocking him from his surprise. he then quickly stood from his position on the ledge, closed and pocketed his soul-phone, and bristly walked over to her, hissing out a small, "what are you doing here?" he paused, then looked down at the still giggling girl. "And why are you laughing?"

Hearing the questions, Kagome looked up to stare at Toushirou—trying to stop laughing for a moment so she could answer him—but when all she could do is keep laughing, she had to look down and brought up a shaking hand instead, motioning to is attire as she gasped out her answer. "S-shini…gami …captain… d-dressed up…as—as…an h-high school student! It's—it's so funny!"

She gave a small snort before looking up at him, blue eyes glinting. "You-you look so-so cute! It's hilarious! Cute-cute chibi-taichou's a student! Or, wait should I refer to you as T-Toushirou-kun now?" she doesn't want to be mean, but she can't help it. And it doesn't help that he _does_ look cute. It's almost sad at how much he could fit into the situation as a normal kid.

Toushirou was left blinking at her, wide-eyed as he processed what she told him—then when he did, a tinged of pink appeared on his cheeks. He sputtered a few times before recovering and glaring at her icily, purposely disregarding his current situation and what she said to properly speak to the girl and to find out why she is here and _how_ she even got here. "That doesn't answer my question, _why are you here_?"

The temperature around them dropped significantly as Toushirou spoke and coupled with his cold tone, was able to make Kagome lightly pause, hand over her mouth as she tried to make herself stop laughing. Really, she is…but it's just so funny. It's not every day you see someone like Toushirou dressed up as a high school student and going to school.

"I-I'm sorry." Stuttered out Kagome, closing her eyes and trying to calm herself down from the crazy laughing fit she just experienced. "I-it's just…I-I haven't…laughed like this…for something this funny in a while…and I can't—." she started shaking as more laughter tried to bubble through and she furiously clamped her mouth shut.

And as he watched this go on, Hitsugaya resisted the strong urge to pitch the edge of his nose at the coming headache. Seriously, what is it with this girl? Can't he ever get a break? First, she comes looking for him after saving two kid souls...and now, she's found him while he's here… taking part as his role/cover as a 'normal student' while he's here in the real world.

It took a few minutes, but after her last outburst of laughter Kagome seemed to be finally calming down. No longer did she need her hand to cover her mouth and any shaking she was doing was gone—the only thing that remained to show she was laughing as much as she was, was the fact that her cheeks were tinted pink and her eyes still had a mischievously amused tint to them.

Toushirou stared at the soul warily, silent and making no move to make sure—_absolutely sure_—she wasn't going to start laughing at him again so he can continue and have her leave before his _and_ her cover is blown. "You need to leave. _Now_."

Matsumoto is here, and if she were to suddenly come looking for him and find him speaking to a soul—a _female_ soul at that—she, and quite possibly the others, will never let him live it down. Especially if he has to explain why he was conversing with the soul, and not performing the konso.

Confused, Kagome raised an eyebrow at Toushirou. She can understand if he's embarrassed about being revealed or even that's he's ticked at her for being here, but why does she need to leave so quickly? After she just found him? Besides, she has to ask him something and it's not as if the other shinigami will find her while she's up here. She's sure she can stay a few minutes to speak to him. "Why?" she asked.

The stare he gave her was nothing but annoyed. "I'm not the only Shinigami here. If you are found out—."

Kagome waved him off. "I know. I sensed four others around. I made sure to keep hidden from their site though. Nobody but you has seen me."

Toushirou closed his mouth, still not looking too happy at the fact she was here, but probably more calm that she hasn't been seen by anyone but him. It was silent for a moment before the captain spoke up again. "So then what do you want?" when he got a blank look from the girl, he actually sighed. "You came here for a reason right? To find me? So what do you want?"

It was Kagome's turn to blush as she nervously smiled. "Um…actually… there is no real reason for me being here…I just came here because I was curious. About all the reiatsu I felt and this place…"

As she spoke, Kagome felt the air around her slowly decrease again. This time though, it was such a drop it made her shiver and exhale puffs of white air, so she just stopped speaking all together realizing that what she said was not a good thing.

Because from the murderous glare Toushirou was giving her—he was _pissed_.

"You…" Kagome almost flinched at the chilling tone he used—not used to such a scathing sound when he spoke to her in the past. "You came here because you were curious?" he didn't raise his voice, but he might have as well with the tone he used and the way he spoke it to her.

"I—."

Kagome was unable to get a word in edge wise, because Toushirou was already lecturing her. "Do you know how much you could be ruining your cover? You said you knew there were Shinigami here, so why did you come here? What if I wasn't here, what if the Shinigami you stumbled upon wasn't me but someone else—what would you have done then?" he continued to glare at her. "Do you know what could have happened if you were found—?"

"I know what could have happened!" Kagome—now knocked from her shock and not willing to let some _Shinigami_ lecture her about her choices—yelled back. Her fists clenched at her sides and she glared back at the now silent Toushirou though the glare on his face never stopped. "I just wanted to see what the hell up is with this town! I've never sensed so many damn Shinigami in one town before, or those-those weird Shinigami hollow hybrids things, or hollows, or people that are spiritually aware!" she quickly pushed herself up so she could stand and face Toushirou at eye level. "Excuse me for being curious and trying to figure out what is happening while I'm here!"

Both the Shinigami and soul continued to glare at one another—before like that; Toushirou angrily ruffled his hair and turned, walking back to the ledge he was previously sitting on. If the girl wants to get caught and not listen to him, then fine! It just makes it easier for him because he won't have to deal with her anymore. "If you don't want to listen to me and get caught. It doesn't matter to me." he replied coldly, fixing her with a glare that made her flinch.

He ignored the momentary guilt that appeared from that to face back forward and ignore her. "Do whatever you want." If she is so willing to ignore the help he's given her, and the fact that he's risked a lot by letting her stay here—despite he's initial choice before—then she is not worth his time anymore. Let her leave and be found by one of the others.

He won't help someone that won't even appreciate it.

There was another, cold silence between them, at least until Kagome's solemn voice spoke up softly. "I…" He may not want to deal with her any longer, but she's not just going to leave without explaining herself. Won't let him assume the worst of her when it was far from her intentions to get on his nerves or make him think she doesn't appreciate what he's been doing for her.

It's far from that. She's grateful for him for helping, for listening, after being the _only one _that has in a long while.

All she wanted to do was speak for a little while. See where her choice earlier will lead her.

Just wanted to see _him_. Is that so bad?

"…I was planning on leaving."

The Shinigami captain noticed that when she spoke, her voice was calm…too calm, but he ignored the nagging feeling that told him to stop walking and look at her. "As soon as I found out where the Shinigami were, I was going to leave. The only reason why I stayed was because I sensed your reiatsu. That you were here."

_That _though, made him pause, wide-eyed.

"I…just thought…" he heard a small chuckle then a sigh. "Actually, I don't know what I thought. I just acted. So for that, I'm sorry…it was stupid…"

Kagome paused, then fisted her hands to keep them from shaking and herself from bolting right back through that door before she finished.

She's not going to leave and let him think her weak. That he's right about her. That she'll just easily bend to his will or let what he said affect her. _That_ while it actually did—she can still stand here and face him, prove to him that she's on equal grounding with him. She's not one of his subordinates and he needs to see that.

She followed his terms as an agreement, not out of orders. She's here now, for no reason but to say hi, not request for something like help or orders. They are equals in this agreement—in it together without any other standing despite him being a shinigami and her a normal soul.

…but if he won't see that, or accept it by now, then he's right.

Maybe its better she just goes back on her own. Maybe, her earlier thoughts were just so, so wrong. So forget it, she'll leave and he won't have to deal with her anymore. She won't waste his or her time. "…you don't have to worry about me bothering you anymore…I'm sorry for taking up your time…Hitsugaya-taichou." She shouldn't have even hoped things would be okay, or this would work. It was a stupid thing to do. She was sort of expecting this anyway…but just not so _soon_.

With that, she turned away and Toushirou heard the sound of her quick footsteps as she ran away after her declaration. She was leaving. With no fight, or yells, or furious anger he's seen in her when they argued in the past. She just left.

_She called me Hitsugaya-taichou. _No Chibi-taichou, or Toushirou, or her newest 'Toushirou-kun'. And she said it in just a way it wasn't meant as mocking or simple statement of thanks.

It was blank…emotionless. Something he's seen unlike her. Something was wrong—and he caused it. Again.

"…_you don't have to worry about me bothering you anymore…I'm sorry for taking up your time…"_

At that moment, something in him changed. His anger completely vanished to be replaced with a blank after he realized what her last sentence actually meant. _She cut the agreement. She's leaving._

Without thinking, he quickly turned around to face her, opening his mouth to speak—but for the third time since he's known her—she was already phasing through the door and gone.

Only the very ends of her hair were still visible as it trailed behind her, before that too disappeared through the door like a wave and he was alone, with nothing and no way to call her back.

* * *

**Reviews are loved, flames stared at, and advice appreciated! Until next chapter!**


	8. C A U S E 3

**Author note**: well…it's been a while. Hi? Haha…yeah, sorry about the wait…and yeah…enjoy the chapter?

**Disclaimer**: this is fan-fiction, and as much as I would like to say I own something, I don't. So yeah, I own nothing. Nothing!

* * *

**CAUSE 3: Blame**

* * *

"Speaking/thinking inside flashback"  
_Thinking/small flashback_  
'Actions/**actions**'  
**""hollow speaking""**

* * *

It wasn't his fault.

"_Would you disobey an order for something you wanted to do, if you thought it was more important?"_

* * *

Slowly making her way up to the roof of the school, Matsumoto blinked. Today has been a bit…weird. Alright, but weird. She can't fully say _why_ she thinks that, but she knows that reiatsu she felt only minutes ago, (one she's sure she sensed before, yesterday to be precise) has something to do with it.

The reiatsu is strange, fleeting. It's there for a second before gone again, disappearing into nothing like it's never been there in the first place when she knows for a fact that it was there, that someone—or something was nearby. And it's a bit off-putting, being able to sense the reiatsu for a moment before it vanishes, especially because she's sure her captain is somehow involved with the reiatsu.

She doesn't know how exactly, or even if it's true beyond her own suspicions, but it still leaves her worried.

Which is why she's on her way to the roof now. Since they've been coming to this school, Toushirou always meets her and the others 10 minute before the bell rings to inform them if there's any news from soul society…but that was 7 minutes ago.

The bell is now going to ring in 3 minutes, and he has yet to come down and meet them. So instead, she's going up there to meet him to one; tell him that the bell is going to ring soon, and if they don't want to be late for 'class' they better start heading back now (she doesn't care so much for this undercover-student thing like the others, but it honestly doesn't hurt to play along while they are here right?)

At least coming here gives them something to do besides just hollow-hunting and awaiting orders.

As for her second reason, it's to check up on him. He's been acting strange lately, and for him to not come down when he should and has the same time for days is just adding to it, since she has yet to think of an event where Toushirou's late for something relating to his duties.

Meaning that something is up—besides the strange, vanishing reiatsu—and it's up to her to make that her taichou is fine, whether or not that said reiatsu is involved.

The only problem is on how she can do it. _It'll be hard…considering who Taichou is…_ thought the ginger-haired woman, taking a right and heading up the stairs that lead to the roof of the building and Toushirou's new place of residence outside of class. _It doesn't help that he's been a lot quieter._

For someone like Toushirou, who's quiet most of the time anyway, it'll make getting him to talk that much harder, if not impossible now. He's not known to just say whatever it is he's thinking.

_Taichou's difficult like that. Always keeping things to himself._ Matsumoto pursed her lips a small bit in a frown, _all I have to go on is his actions…which, while can be helpful, don't actually explain the situation to me._ the fukutaichou sighed and placed her hand on the railing of the stairs she was climbing, turning left up the stairs as they curved. _He's moodier, been preoccupied…like he's looking for something…_

_He's also been going off on his own a lot too, hiding his reiatsu without saying where he's going._ Matsumoto paused some at that thought, blinking her eyes. _There was that comment about the souls too, but I don't know how that ties with everything else…_

It's honestly strange. Hitsugaya has never acted this way before. He's had his times when he's been moodier and stricter, but he's always been _focused_. Even with all that's happened with the Aizen problem and Momo, he's been on top of things—she thinks he's even been more alert, wanting to catch Aizen for all he's done.

But that was up to at least a week ago.

Now Hitsugaya's just…off. Preoccupied even. He still does what he needs to—kill hollows and sends in his reports, but it's not with that cold determination he had before, that focus. It's blurred now. He does his reports, but instead of blowing through them without breaks, he'll pause for moments on end, just thinking or look out the window or whatever to just look.

Something has definitely changed. But what? _What happened a week ago to change things?_ did he find some news on Aizen? _No._ Matsumoto shook her head quickly at that thought. _If he did, we would have been informed and he would have reported to soul society._

Blue-grey narrowed a small bit. _There was the arrancar attack…but he wasn't like this until a few days after the attack. If it was that, he would have been this way the entire time. So that's off the list…_

Then what happened in the span of those couple of days and now? All Toushirou did was kill hollows and go to this school. There was that one time she and the others ignored a hollow and made Toushirou get it, but there's no way he'd be messed up by that. He's used to them not doing anything, her especially (because after all, who like work? Paperwork is far from her definition of fun).

"Well, maybe it's the work then?" mused the female out-loud. There's no need to worry about what she says if there's no humans around. "Captain has been killing a lot of hollows lately…I swear he jumps from one place to another…but he's always been a workaholic, I think taichou enjoys the paperwork he does. He does do enough of it."

(She of course, forgot to mention that it's because of her that he has so much work as he needs to do)

Rangiku sighed, running a hand through her hair. She's coming up with nothing when really, it can't be that hard. The signs are all there—she just needs to find out what they all mean. Running through Hitsugaya's actions again in her head, Matsumoto listed them off on her hand. "Has been easily distracted, moodier, quieter, leaving at random times without telling anyone and being all secret…"

When she came up with another blank, she huffed, lightly blowing a stray bang from her face in exasperation. "Ah~! It's almost like he's meeting someone—!"

Pausing at that thought, Matsumoto blinked, then gaped and paused at the corner step leading up to the roof. That's exactly how things seem! She can't believe she didn't think of this much earlier! The leaving at random times is definitely what someone does when they need to something, or more importantly, meet someone they don't want other to know about! And the being moodier and quieter part is because he doesn't want anyone to find out, so he's all careful about it.

As for him being distracted—he's probably thinking about that said person, or wondering where they are at the time! A shocked gasp escaped her lips and Matsumoto's eye widened, realizing what this could all mean.

Did Hitsugaya meet someone? Or more specifically a _girl_ and has been meeting her in secret because he doesn't want people to know he has a crush on someone? Or maybe she's human and since human/shinigami relationships aren't approved, he's trying to keep her out of the spotlight to protect her?

Slowly, a grin appeared on her face and Matsumoto practically skipped the remaining way up to the door. All the signs lead up to it! Toushirou may be more of a closed-in person, cold, and has never shown any interest in relationships of that sort—but he can't be completely immune to things like that!

Especially because he's still a growing male, that despite being short for his age—is still a teenager! Things like this are sure to happen! It's probably even a good thing that it's happening now (it's definitely been long enough), so as unlikely as it seems, the possibility of Toushirou liking someone is high.

Matsumoto's grin grew and she clapped her hands together happily. "Oh, it's so cute! My Taichou's growing up!" she gushed, quickening her pace so she could congratulate Toushirou on his first crush and give him pointers on how to win over the girl's heart.

Maybe he'll even tell her who it is and she can meet the girl. It'd be interesting to see who it is that's captured Toushirou's heart and make sure that she deserves it. As his fukutaichou, it's her job to protect her captain, and that includes his heart! And if she passes, to celebrate, she can take this mystery girl out for shopping and general girl time! _ A win-win situation!_

Before she could think any farther on the topic though, Matsumoto was left pausing at the door, her hand on the handle, finally remembering _who_ exactly Hitsugaya was and that, even if he did have a crush—which she believes is completely and utterly true—he wouldn't say anything.

He'd keep it to himself until he either gets over it, or will never, ever say anything. Not even to the girl he likes. She deflated at that_. That can't happen though. I know human/shinigami relationships are forbidden…and we might not be here for long, but it's Taichou's first love and he deserves all the happiness he can get! He's cold, but a good person and as his lieutenant, it's my job to make sure he's okay—love included!_

Which means if she wants this to work out for him, she's going to have to follow him. Every time he leaves, or looks distracted, she has to follow to see who it is and find out what she can so she can help. Once she knows who the girl is, what she's like where and when they meet, she can give Toushirou some advice and pointers!

And if things come to it, she's sure she can get the others to help her!

Happy again and confident in her secret-mission, Matsumoto quickly opened the door to the roof and quickly headed towards her captain once she saw him in sight. "~Taichou! It's time to leave, the bell's going to ring~!"

Right before she rammed into him to give him the usual hug she always gives when greeting him though, Matsumoto noticed something was wrong and stopped a few feet behind where Toushirou stood.

His back was to her, and to anyone else he looked normal—but to her, who is well aware of most of Hitsugaya's moods, could tell that he wasn't himself. For one, he wasn't sitting down like he usually was while up here and secondly, his stance was tense and his hands were fisted so tight, his knuckled were almost as white as his hair.

His soul-phone, which he is so fond of using to report to and get regular updates from Soul Society wasn't even out; instead it sat inside of his back pocket, unused.

The biggest thing though, was that he didn't even _notice_ her come up. He usually looks up at her when she first comes, but then goes right back to ignoring her.

Worry formed and took over the happiness she felt a moment ago, causing her eyes to look around the area in case something was amiss, but the roof was the same as it ever was. Empty, old, and plain. They were alone. "C-Captain? Is something wrong?"

Her hand slowly crept towards the pocket of her skirt in case something _was_ wrong and she'd need her soul-candy, waiting for Toushirou to answer her—but he didn't. He was as silent and tense as she first saw him.

_Something is seriously wrong._ Hitsugaya wouldn't be like this unless there was. Taking a few steps closer, Matsumoto moved to his side so she could see his face and maybe even get him to notice her at the same time—and looked over to the shorter shinigami.

His face was almost blank, expression closed up, but his eyebrows were furrowed more than normal, and his mouth was a thin line, making him look…angry? Guilty? Confused? It was really hard to tell because he gave no sound or movement to prove any of these thoughts. His eyes though…

It was his eyes that had the most feeling in them. Those turquoise eyes were intent, deeply focused on something ahead of them—as if he was watching something down on the ground in front of the school, but when she turned to look at what he was watching, she found nothing.

There was nothing in front of the school. It was completely empty.

So then what was he looking at? Was he even looking at anything, or just thinking?

Toushirou suddenly moved and she quickly turned her attention back to the shinigami, hoping he finally snapped out of it—but he only reached for something in his own pocket and took it out, making her blink when she noticed it was his soul-candy. _What's he doing? The only reason he'd need that…is if…_

…is if he was planning on leaving. But why would he need to suddenly leave like this, and where? "Hitsugaya-taichou?" as she spoke she reached out to grab his shoulder to shake him awake—because now things are bad and she's worrying because he won't even answer her, let alone notice she's here, and it needs _to stop_—

—but before her hand could even touch his shoulder Toushirou's hand shot out and grabbed her's on the wrist, stopping the movement as he looked at her. "Don't—."

He suddenly stopped, surprised when he looked up to see her. He blinked, and as quick as it came, the shock vanished and his normal cool disposition returned. "Matsumoto," he commented instead, dropping her wrist and acting like right now he just didn't seem himself. Turning away, he reached for his soul-phone, flipping it open to check over something. "When did you get here?"

It was a normal statement, but she could have sworn she heard something else in it, something off, something wrong…like disappointment. "I…" she opened her mouth, to ask him why his voice sounded like that, to figure out _what_ is going on, but before she could, Toushirou raised an eyebrow at her, all cool and calm-demeanor again, leaving her blinking and shaking her head, going into the reporting mode she's gotten accustomed to by being a fukutaichou. "…just now, I wanted to tell you that the bell is going to ring—"

A loud bell sounded, proving her point. "—to ring, sir. You didn't come down at the time you usually did…so I came to check up on you."

Hitsugaya's eyes went back to the phone, scanning the screen for a moment or two for something she couldn't see, and that intent, focused look returned—before it was gone again and Toushirou closed the phone with his fingers and placed it back in its back-pocket. Then, placing his hands in the front pockets of his pants, Hitsugaya spared one last look towards the front of the school, but apparently finding nothing, turned, walking towards the door that lead back into school. "Right, let's go."

Matsumoto turned to watch as Toushirou walked, expression confused and worried because even though he seemed his normal self again, something was still very _wrong_ about the way he was acting.

He's still…off. Still preoccupied. She's sure he still would be staring off into air if she didn't try to touch him and then, it took that and her being _near_ him for Toushirou to notice her presence.

And…even then, before he knew she was there, he was going to say something—something he cut himself off in mid-sentence for when he saw it was her and not…whatever else it was he seemed to be expecting. She's not sure if he's aware that he did that, or noticed it, but it sounded like he was just about to tell her to not call him 'Hitsugaya-taichou.'

That has never happened, ever, in the past. Toushirou is serious about his position as a captain and hates it when people don't refer to him as one. Not once has he ever told someone _not_ to call him by his title.

It's always the opposite. He's always the one telling people to refer him as such and now this? she doesn't know if it's just her being paranoid and she misheard him…but something—Toushirou—isn't right.

"Matsumoto, are you coming?" came Hitsugaya's irritated voice from by the door, and realizing she's just been standing there, in thought, quickly shook her head and nodded towards her captain, walking over to catch up to Toushirou though her mind was only halfway listening.

"Right, I'm…coming Taichou…"

Rangiku spared only one last look around the rood for anything abnormal before following her captain down the steps, worried and wishing so much she could figure what all transpired while she was down below with the others.

**. . .**

He never thought the sound of a bell would make him feel so relieved.

Walking out the doors of Karakura High School with his hands in his pockets, Matsumoto behind him and surrounded by humans, Toushirou couldn't get out of that place any faster—not wishing to deal with all the chatting and noise and general talking.

All day, he couldn't focus. All day, he was subjected to Matsumoto's poor, failed attempts at 'cheering him up' because as she said, he needs to, 'lighten up and enjoy the day' when that is impossible.

Because _all day_, he couldn't get what happened on the roof out of his head. No matter what he did, everything kept leading back to it, making him more and more annoyed as time continued on. He just can't stop thinking about it, and he doesn't understand _why_.

He's trying, and it should be easy to do so—because it wasn't his fault for what happened. It was her's for not listening to him, so she's to blame. All he was trying to do was keep her from being found and end up hurt. He gave those rules for those exact reasons, and she disobeyed them, all too just—

"_The only reason why I stayed was because I sensed your reiatsu."_

—Toushirou grit his teeth at the memory. That doesn't make up for it. She came here with 5 shinigami around when he precisely told her to stay _away_ from other shinigami. It's her fault. Not his. He was doing what he was supposed to, while she, she just did whatever she wanted—she didn't listen to him…

…and now she's gone.

Toushirou quickly cursed and narrowed his eyes, grabbing his soul-phone and opening it all in one motion to stare at the screen he programed to keep an eye on the reiatsu he placed on her wrist. After a few seconds, there was a small, almost undistinguishable blue dot, far off from where he was, almost on the other side of town, before it completely vanished again, just like it has been all day and he could no longer find her, and probably won't for another good hour or so.

It appears that the reiatsu he placed on her wrist is finally starting to vanish. He knew it would happen sooner or later since the reiatsu was such a small amount and they're in human world, but he wished he knew how long it would last here so he could have added more, and that way, could know where the girl is now.

Pretty soon, if it continues like this—he won't be able to find her at all.

His hand went towards his pocket holding his soul-candy, just itching to take it out—but when he realized what he was trying to do, and not for the first time either—he quickly cursed again and pulled his hand away, fisting it tightly. With narrowed eyes, he looked down, not willing to give into the stupid urge to look for the girl. _It wasn't my fault._

**. . .**

As Toushirou continued to walk ahead of her, silent and brooding, Matsumoto couldn't help the concerned look on her face. Since she went up to the roof to get him at lunch, he's been like that, deep in thought, annoyed, and it's only gotten worse as time goes on.

Every few minutes he'll grab his phone and look for something she can't find—even when she's checked her own soul-phone multiple times in hopes she'll understand what it is he keeps looking for. They aren't hollows, (which have been surprisingly absent today) so she doesn't know what he's looking for.

It's gotten so bad that even the others have noticed his foul mood. Ikkaku and Yumichika haven't been so scarce around her in a while, and if even _they_ have noticed his mood and choose to stay away—Ikkaku especially—she knows that something is definitely up with the small taichou.

And she needs to figure out what, and why. This has gone on long enough and it's starting to really make her concerned. "Um…taichou?"

The soul-phone in his hand slammed shut with a harsh 'click', making her flinch, and even though that wasn't enough to make her falter in her next question, his voice was. "What Matsumoto?" flat with a somehow furious undertone that clearly said, if not with clear words than flashing letters 'leave me alone' left even her tensing in apprehension, not wanting to set the dragon into a rampage.

And that's how he seemed right now, like a dragon pacing around in its cave, tense and just waiting to strike. _But…its taichou…_ and she can't let some anger stop her from helping out her captain. So, not giving up, Matsumoto stared at the white-haired shinigami with a worried-eye. "Are…you okay, taichou? I mean…you seem tense…lately, like something is bothering you…"

Toushirou stopped walking so quickly she feared she would have run into him if she didn't stop as soon as he did, and fell completely silent. He didn't move, didn't speak, and Matsumoto found herself wanting to shake the tiny captain if it would make him blow up at her—because at least then he's doing something—but this? Just suddenly standing there? It's not like Toushirou at all.

She opened her mouth to speak up again, hoping maybe a joke or teasing on her part would make him talk—even angry and dragon-ish talking is better than complete silence—but Toushirou beat her to it, "Matsumoto…"

"Um…yes taichou?" she asked, concerned. The tone of his voice…there's something about the tone she doesn't like. It's nothing bad per say, but just the way it is, how it sounds leaves her just not liking it.

Toushirou was silent for a moment longer, before he resumed speaking in that strange tone of his. "Would you disobey an order for something you wanted to do, if you thought it was more important?"

Matsumoto blinked at the strange question. "…sir…?"

As if her question knocked him from his thoughts, Toushirou suddenly seemed to snap to attention and shook his head, placing his hands back in his pants pockets. "It's nothing Matsumoto."

With that said, Toushirou continued walking and she blinked again, watching his back more worried than before. Then without really thinking, she spoke up—wanting to help Toushirou as much as she can.

"Captain…I think I would."

Toushirou stopped walking and turned to look at her, and she smiled back at him, "if it was something I really wanted or needed to do, something I thought was really important…as long as it didn't interfere _with_ my orders, I think I probably would." Grinning now, she winked at the male, lifting up a finger to her lips in the shushing manner. "But you didn't hear that from me, 'kay, taichou?"

After her admittance Toushirou stared at her for a moment, before looking down and giving a small, single nod. Then, without another word or look back, turned and continued walking away.

And she was left staring after him, a small frown on her face and even bigger question in her mind.

_Taichou…just what happened to you?_

* * *

**Author note**: please, please ignore my horrible Matsumoto. I feel like I didn't do her character justice, but I hope I also didn't completely butcher her. it was…interesting, trying to portray Matsumoto's take on how Toushirou was acting and what she thinks, even though I don't think I got it completely down. Well, practice makes perfect right?

Anyway, here's the long awaited chapter. I hope you guys liked it.

**Reviews are loved, flames stared at, and advice appreciated! Until next chapter!**


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